The most difficult writing I've ever faced

I set aside this corner of my website for updates related to my work and life inasmuch as it's relevant to you, my readers and community, rather than regular blog posts. I seem to have neglected it until now. I still send out a structured newsletter at the beginning of each month, so when I post here, I'll keep my thoughts as brief and conversational as possible. I imagine many of these posts will be spontaneous, as is this one.

As I write, I find myself in the most difficult stretch of story-...