Author: Ron Stempkowski
Grateful for the Tribe
Looking back over my life, I realize I’ve always been someone who looks to find “my people,” those who I feel organically connected to in some way–great or small. And those I&#... Read More
Enchanted Ravenswood
I loved living in Ravenswood, a neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. Even the name was evocative of some kind of old-timey place rife with history and magic. I lived in a giant one-bedroom apart... Read More
New Year’s Day & Message in a Bottle (on my mantle)
I love a ritual—especially one that involves handwriting, nostalgia, memory keeping and self-reflection. In January 2022, I started a new ritual, aptly titled “New Year’s Day Cards.” At the en... Read More
The Puppy Who Saved Me
Getting a puppy is a big step. For anyone. Getting Kallie was an even bigger step for me. Because bringing her into my life was the first big step I took toward moving forward after Ken’s death. The... Read More
Beyond the Garden of the Gods
I met up with my buddy Matt in Southern Illinois for our third annual camping trip the weekend before Labor Day. I’d picked the far south location because of its proximity to Cairo, IllinoisR... Read More
In the Groove
The older I get, the harder it is to mourn a life I didn’t have. -Me, today June 1, 2011 was also a Wednesday. I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t checked the calendar just now. As I s... Read More
In the Beginning…
As someone who spends a lot of time in front of his computer, I was so pleasantly surprised to run across some really old pre-iPhone pix I snapped of Ken and me. The one above is dated 28 days after w... Read More
Lost and Found
Dear Ken, I’ve thought about this day for a long time: what would feel like to have lost you for as long as I had you—just 10 years. How much would it hurt? And what would it mean? Anything? Every... Read More