EDITOR’S LETTER

MAY/JUNE 2022 / DIANE TALBOT SEMBROT

SCAN TO VISIT US

HOW TO SCAN: OPEN, AIM & TAP

MY GOODNESS

As a teenager and twenty-something, I shared one habit with my circle of friends: writing. If we didn’t live close to one another, we likely exchanged many letters—typically, handwritten. They were frequent and they were absurdly long, and my friends and I enjoyed it. We crafted them. We told stories, with scene settings, descriptive details, and an arc leading to a satisfying conclusion. They were written to keep us in touch and to share our love of writing.

Over time, the letters trickled to email exchanges and then to anemic texts. We go back and forth a few times and then let things peter out. We might comment on a social post. It works for communication, but it’s a bit of shrug, too. It’s too bad, because I still enjoy writing. Those letters of my past suggested to my family and friends that I would become a published author. They believed I actually did have a novel in me. I thought so, too—and yet, not yet.

I look to Jane Green, who has not only written a novel, she’s penned many best-sellers. Turn to her story in this issue. It’s about, you guessed it, her latest and exotic new book. And guess who wrote the piece? Westporter Emily Liebert, also a successful novelist—as well as a columnist on travel and books for Moffly Media (thank goodness!).

Both women are busy wives, mothers and friends and share a taste for travel, food, home design and the better things in life. Emily, for example, shares her incredible trips to luxury hotels, restaurants and spas near and far. Who doesn’t like travel, infinity pools, beach cabanas, massages, facials, gourmet meals, drinks with little umbrellas at sunset and a good story? The time to enjoy such things— and whatever makes you happy—is now. Our dreams, such as writing that novel or traveling to the other side of the world, are to be savored right now, not some day. After all, our particular interests, unique to each of us, are also our gifts. I love to read and write even as I see others willing to do almost anything to avoid them both.

So why do we put off what makes us happy? Plenty of reasons, mostly personal—and if we look close enough, those reasons will reveal themselves. It takes courage, effort and skills, even when you love something. And others can serve as an example that it is always right there to try—a reminder to enjoy what you are drawn to. Of course, what that means to you might have nothing to do with paper and pen. Perhaps you want to open a store or start a charity or run a marathon or wear a fashionable outfit just for the joy of it. The fun part is that you get to claim what makes your life amazing, and then go after it.

Inside we offer our guide “The Good Life,” which is filled with examples of local places run by people who pour their passion into what they do—and share their gifts. Enjoying what they offer is a compliment (and makes our day better). The piece can’t mention all the good things about living here, but we try to cover such things in every issue—so stay in touch. I’m happy to keep writing for you.

diane.sembrot@moffly.com