I’ve been journaling since I was eleven years old, ever since I received my first diary. That small, private space between its covers became my sanctuary – a place where I could dream, reflect, compose poetry and songs, and later, make sense of life’s most difficult moments. Writing has always helped me explore what happened, how I feel, and what I can learn from it.
Finding Karuna: A Clue to Compassion
After my first husband died, I searched for any trace of his inner world – something he might have written. He wasn’t a writer, but I found one meaningful clue: at the top of his letters, where the date usually goes, he would write the word “karuna.” It’s a Sanskrit term meaning active compassion.
Our children, who considered him the most compassionate person they knew, got tattoos of that word in his honor. I decided that if I ever created something new, I’d call it the Karuna Project.
From Five Prompts to Global Impact
When I became a certified grief counselor and began working in hospice, I used journaling as a tool with clients – many of whom felt stuck or didn’t know how to begin. I started by offering five simple prompts on slips of paper. When clients chose one, it often opened the door to deeper conversation.
Those five prompts grew to 40, and then to 52. In 2017, the Karuna Cards were published by Jessica Kingsley Books. Since then, they’ve been used around the world by therapists, psychologists, and anyone navigating grief or life transitions. Each card offers a gentle entry point into self-reflection, creativity, or emotional expression – through journaling, nature, imagination, or ritual.
Another Loss, Another Turning Point
While the Karuna Cards took root in my professional practice, another turning point came later in life. Just before a milestone birthday, my second husband died. For the first time in decades, I found myself alone.
I’d once been part of a Wisdom School, and I longed for a space for vital, engaged older adults. I wasn’t interested in the “elderly” stereotype of bingo and boredom – I craved connection and a sense of purpose.
Discovering the Modern Elder Academy
That’s when I discovered MEA. Their uplifting vision of a second adulthood drew me in. I signed up for Navigating Midlife Transitions. Most of the other participants were exiting corporate careers, while I’d spent my life as a dancer, choreographer, musician, caterer, and later, grief counselor and author.
In my 50s, after losing my first husband, I had returned to school and reinvented myself. I wrote books on creative approaches to grief, and once again, found healing through writing.
The Space in Between: Where Growth Happens
During the MEA workshop, the “Finding Your Passion” session revealed a powerful truth: reinvention had always been part of my life. Another AHA moment came when we revisited Transitions by William Bridges, a book I first read in graduate school.
His concept of the “Space in Between” – the liminal time between what has ended and what has not yet begun—resonated deeply. That space, though messy and uncertain, is rich ground for growth.
Longing for a more embodied experience, I later attended Dacher Keltner’s Finding AWE workshop at the Baja campus. The beauty of the setting and the spirit of the group revived something in me. Now, I intentionally cultivate awe – through music, movement, flowers, and unexpected beauty in nature.
A friend once told me I find beauty in odd places. I think that’s part of what helps me stay resilient.
The Next Chapter: Expanding Beyond Grief
Back home, I proposed a new Karuna deck to my publisher – this one focused not just on grief, but on personal growth, resilience, and thriving. I’m also working on a new book on the same theme. The writing has come slowly, as I navigate yet another lifequake. But I trust that it will flow, as I continue to honor the creative process and allow my life to unfold.
Through it all – grief, reinvention, awe, and aging – I’ve learned that we can thrive even in the Space in Between. MEA helped reawaken that sense of wonder. And the Karuna Cards continue to be my way of extending active compassion – karuna – to others on the path.
Karuna Card Prompt:
“Think of a time when you really struggled. Write a fairytale about this beginning with: Once upon a time… Imagine you are the Brave Hero of the story. You actually are.”