Hitting Pause-For Now

Time to Dust Off the Old Nursing Cap

Dear friends,

I wanted to take a moment to share a personal update and let you know that I’ll be pressing the “pause” button on this Substack for the next few months. So much for me getting relaunched! 😉

My son, Caleb, 27, recently had emergency back surgery, and I’ve stepped into the role of caregiver during his recovery. It’s a privilege to be able to help him heal, but it also requires my full presence—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

At the same time, I’m becoming more aware of the limitations I live with in the aftermath of cancer treatment. I’m still discovering the ways it has reshaped my energy, stamina, and overall well-being. There’s a certain humility in recognizing what I can no longer push through, and instead learning to listen to my body and honor its signals. I feel like I’m still 24 on the inside, but the calendar tells me I’m pushing 61. So, there’s that too.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the wisdom of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and her “Little Way”—the idea that small, loving acts done with great intention are just as important as grand gestures. For most of my life, I’ve carried a sense of urgency to help others, to “save the world” in some way, er, a BIG way, actually. But now, I’m sensing a call to quiet that impulse and simply tend to what’s in front of me—my family, my health, and the still, small voice within.

So for now, I’m stepping back from publishing regular newsletters. It is a humbling action for me to take because I feel like it is yet another thing on my massive pile of incomplete projects and abandoned dreams. It feels an awful lot like failure, but I am working hard at reframing that perspective. And I also understand that the deepest spiritual work any individual can do is to hold all things with open hands and to realize that letting go, especially in the second half of life, is essential if we are to grow older with grace and a deeper capacity to both give and receive love.

I’ll use this time to focus on helping my son recover and gently reevaluate my business ideas and future direction. I’m not disappearing—just retreating into a quieter season.

Thank you for reading, for your support, and for walking this path with me. In the meanwhile, I will still be writing and posting things just under The Zany Sage since topics will be a montage of ADHD-fueled musings, quirky humor pieces, and slice of life stories.

I wish for you peace and send you love,
Theresa AKA The Zany Sage AKA addlepated nurse mama 😉

PS My daughter, Molly, set up a GoFundMe for Caleb’s recovery from spinal surgery. If you’d like to help, please know every dollar will be gratefully accepted and put to good use.