Heather Johnson Durocher

1 week ago | movingthrough.substack.com | Heather Johnson Durocher

Hello, fellow travelers. I’m writing from a corner coffee shop in Grand Rapids, a spot that opened not too long ago. We’re sitting out front at a picnic table on the angled, quiet patio, the late-afternoon sun warming my shoulders. The blue umbrella overhead coupled with a slight breeze keeps us cool on this 78-degree afternoon. It’s my kind of day. A good book and iced coffee next to me, time to write, easy conversation with Emma and her best friend.

2 weeks ago | dailypress.net | Heather Johnson Durocher

With each passing mile, the landscape reveals what we anticipated once we crossed the Mackinac Bridge and continued driving north: patches, then piles, of snow along the highway and in the woods; tree branches not yet bearing any buds; misty, frosty fields more brown than green. Winter’s last chilly grasp is holding steady in the Upper Peninsula on this mid-spring morning, and we envision only more of the same as we navigate toward Munising and Marquette.

2 weeks ago | movingthrough.substack.com | Heather Johnson Durocher

Sometimes all I wish to do is relax, to sink into being at ease and worry-free. We all want this, right? Of course we’d like this 24/7. But that’s not life. So I’ll settle for experiencing this at least some of the time. I try to find these moments, make them happen. Moving Through is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

3 weeks ago | movingthrough.substack.com | Heather Johnson Durocher

My voice was shaky, my hands trembling as I clutched the opened book, when I began to speak. It was a cool, late-spring evening in Milwaukee, and I was at a small independently owned running store about to share an excerpt of a very personal essay I’d written. A sea of expectant faces stared back at me. I took a deep breath, glancing over at my friends Dimity and Amy who stood to the side smiling encouragingly.

4 weeks ago | movingthrough.substack.com | Heather Johnson Durocher

Hello! Real quick, before we get to today’s post, I have a special save-the-date to share with you all. I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be speaking (and running!) in picturesque Grand Haven, Mich. next month, at The Bookman, an independent bookshop. More details to come, but please mark your calendars for Saturday, June 21 — summer solstice weekend! — when we’ll take a short run/walk from the bookstore to the lighthouse followed by a chat about books, running and more.