What Could Have Been

When we began putting this book together, I invited my collaborator, Maria to submit a story. Maria and I have known each other for years and worked together on numerous projects. But usually she is the magician behind the scenes, the wonderful designer making our books beautiful, but not having her thoughts and memories told. I invited her to share a story.

I've known her for years, but I'd never heard about the time she was eighteen and, while on vacation in the US for the first time, found herself in a potentially dangerous situation. Not a collapsed building, or a true emergency, but something that just didn’t feel right. At the last moment, something in her told her to leave. She listened, walked away, and has often wondered what might have happened if she hadn't.

It's a small story, in a way. Nothing dramatic happened. But that’s why I loved it.

It's a reminder that our lives are often shaped by the moments no one else sees—the quiet decisions, the instincts we trust, and the roads we never end up taking.

by Patty McGuigan

We are excited to share the process of making this book, so every journal post will end with a sketch of the story we’re discussing. To see all of the final stories in print, follow along!