“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
-Maya Angelou
My name is Kate, and I live on Cape Cod. And I have thoughts about things.
It’s interesting to me – and fitting – that the day I begin building this blog is the anniversary of my grandfather’s death. I still can’t believe he’s gone. His existence almost feels like a dream or even another life. Isn’t that the way, though? The ones you loved so deeply somehow become these larger-than-life icons in our minds, once they have departed? They’re almost mystical figures. Memories are funny like that.
He would have loved talking with me about my thoughts these days. He died just before I had an awakening of sorts (friends called it my “Kate Chopin moment”), and it’s unfortunate he hasn’t been around to be a part of my transformation.
Although, I guess that’s not true. The people we love never really leave, do they? He has been present in just about every major life event over the past several years. And while his presence hasn’t exactly been in the form of the recurring question, “What Would Grandpa Do?”, I have imagined many hypothetical conversations with him. I can still hear his scratchy voice in my ear, addressing me as “Katie” – but I can’t think about that too hard, otherwise my throat will close up just a little, and it will be hard to breathe.
Regardless. He was a man of many passions and opinions. And, over the years, it seems as though I’ve inherited those character traits from him – which, depending on perspective, is either a good thing or a bad thing. I remember, many times during family gatherings as a child, he would begin the “education discussion,” and people would drift away, excusing themselves to the bathroom, or the TV room, or the kitchen for a drink – just to avoid getting pulled into what they considered to be an uncomfortable argument. But I always stayed. His fervor about ideas and his curiosity to know what I thought made me feel alive. And loved.
So, in some ways, sharing my thoughts about things feels like continuing his legacy. That, along with the fact that, at times, words and ideas swirl in my mind with such ferocity that the only way to relieve the pressure is to throw them down on [theoretical] paper. FaceBook has been my outlet, until now.
Welcome to Kate Cod…
Kate Cod 