Carol O. Eckerman

Carol Eckerman (www.caroloeckerman.com) published numerous research articles during her thirty-plus years as a developmental scientist at Duke University, but only began to write more autobiographically in her fifties. She wanted to share with her children the story of her despair transforming into unexpected joy, thinking that her tale, more than anyone else's, might aid them if they one day fell into darkness. But as she wrote for them, she discovered how much the writing aided her in uncovering even more meaning in her life story. So she kept on writing, through a host of new challenges (her mother's dementia and dying, her children's bouts with cancer, forgiving the person whose actions plunged her into despair...). Several of these essays, much revised, became Lessons in Simply Being. And she continues to write, mostly about the wonders and meaning she finds within everyday events. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and currently serves as a spiritual director and writer, helping others uncover their soul's story. She is also an amateur flutist and loves giving house concerts with other musicians. Musical images often appear in her writings.