It has been a busy fall! Here’s a little mid-month recap on what’s going on in our world and what comes next.

Supply Chain

We have spent the last two weeks north of Seattle waiting on some repair parts for our trailer. Everything is functional but the last two parts are delayed by some covid supply chain issues, so we have hunkered down at an RV park between the sea and the mountains to catch up on some editing and squeeze in a few hikes to stretch the legs and get away from the screens. 

Our latest intel says that our parts may show up in 2-24 weeks, so we have decided it’s time to move south as the rainy season sets in for the Pacific Northwest. The dealer says they will ship the parts directly to us, wherever we happen to be…whenever they happen to show. I’m no mechanic, but these are simple fixes and I think I can figure out how to install them whenever they do arrive. It’s all a part of the adventure.

Book Release

After years of writing, revising and editing, Portraits of Peace is launched! Late September offered a flurry of activity with our book release celebration, podcast appearances, and public book signings. Now we are settling in for the long work of outreach to bookstores, libraries and communities to build interest. We are gearing up for book clubs and creating resources to help groups engage in conversation around the stories in the book. If your school, book club, church, or community are interested in exploring possibilities, reach out. We are developing new resources to make this a powerful group engagement.

Soon, we will offer a book club bundle that will include ten autographed copies of the book, the discussion guide and a 30-minute virtual author Q&A for your group.

The latest 5-star review for Portraits of Peace says this: “The stories in the book paint a hopeful picture for the future of our world, underscoring the importance of deeply listening to the diverse experiences of the neighbors we haven’t met yet. It’s an inspiring read in what feels like an increasingly devastating world.”

I hope you will buy it, read it, rate it and review it. Here’s the publisher’s page, but you can buy Portraits of Peace anywhere you get books. If you are planning to buy in volume, send me a note and we can point you toward some discounts from the publisher.

Programming

Our fall programming schedule has been altered due to some covid cancellations, but the open space in our schedule has allowed us to catch up on some important logistics. Over the past year we have been doing interviews faster than we can edit them. As a result I have a backlog of powerful stories waiting to be shared. There’s some internalized pressure around getting these stories out into the world. The people who we have interviewed have shared their time, their wisdom and their trust and it feels good to pause and spend some time editing through the archives before we line up too many new interviews.

Nonprofit

Through much of 2021, we have operated under a fiscal sponsorship with Listen First, a coalition dedicated to healing America’s division through dialogue. Through the pandemic, we continued to do our work of gathering stories and engaging communities because of the support of individuals who believed in and supported our work. Just a few weeks ago, A Peace of My Mind received our official 501(c) (3) status and as we look forward to 2022, we will work to build a robust base of support that will help us expand our reach and our ability to bridge divides and build community.

On the Road

We are now one full year into this journey on the road. And even as our ties to any particular place have loosened, we can feel our roots sinking deeper into connection, relationship and community. Even as we move from place to place and issue to issue, we can see more clearly the threads that weave our world together. 

This is a rich season of learning. It’s humbling and rewarding and overwhelming and encouraging. And we’re grateful every day for the experience. 

You’ve heard me say it before…there is beauty and wisdom all around us…often tucked into the most unexpected places. Are you listening?