Author: Ron Stempkowski
I'm an award-winning writer living in Chicago. I have a passion for writing, storytelling, and my dog.
The Quiet Gift of a Christmas Day Walk
Christmas Day walks with Hudson have a different kind of quiet to them. The streets are empty. The world feels paused. No rush, no noise, no expectations. Just cold air, steady footsteps, and a very g... Read More
Something Big Is Coming in 2026
I’ve been working quietly toward something for a long time now. Longer than most people realize. 2026 is shaping up to be a year of intention, creativity, and a big chapter finally stepping into the... Read More
The Quiet Gift of Being Seen
While I was outside with Hudson yesterday, one of my neighbors was out with her dog, Ripley. Hudson and Ripley like to “talk” and play without regard for the fence between them. As I turne... Read More
The Gift of Unplugging
The holidays can be loud. Not always in the obvious ways. Sometimes it’s the noise of schedules and obligations and travel plans and inboxes that refuse to quiet down just because the calendar says ... Read More
Permission to Pause
Here’s the thing about the holidays that no one really says out loud. They give us permission to pause. Not the kind of pause that comes from burnout or hitting a wall. The gentler kind. The intenti... Read More
Resilience Isn’t a Personality Trait. It’s a Practice.
People talk about resilience like it’s some inner superpower you either have or you don’t. I’ve never bought that. Most of the changes that shaped me didn’t arrive with a cape. They showed up ... Read More
Celebrating 15 Years of Showing Up
Fifteen years. I had to sit with that number for a minute. I started this blog in a very different version of my life, long before I knew how much the words would hold, or how many times they’d help... Read More
The Universal Struggle of Leaving a Cozy Bed (Especially When Hudson’s In It)
Some mornings, getting out of bed feels heroic. And then there are mornings like today—when Hudson is stretched beside me in full golden-retriever splendor, making the idea of standing upright seem ... Read More