Several dark mornings a week—during the final months of my husband’s life—I woke up with a rather large sumo wrestler standing over me, pulling my stomach into a tight knot of anxiety.
Worry over the thought of widowhood. Concern about our financial situation and how I could afford to stay in the small rental solely on my salary.
Daughter Summer, SIL Josh, and five of the six grands moved to Oregon from New Jersey last week. They were at my place for a few days before heading “over the hill and through the woods” to the other side of the Cascade Mountains.
It was a sunny July—four months before my husband, Gary, died. We were in a cozy vacation cabin with family. And I was adding to my gratitude journal.
An online article at The Grit + Grace Project caught my attention: “100 Truths for Every Strong Woman.”
(Before the men quit reading, you need to know that this piece is very honoring of your gender. Because you are valuable and important and worthy of our respect.)
It was Annie Dillard who said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
Mick Black of Sisters, Oregon, is spending his life making a difference for the people in the Ngenge area of northern Uganda—as co-owner, CEO, importer, exporter, roaster, administrative assistant, and janitor of Kabum Coffee.
So how does owning a coffee company make a difference in the world?
Answer: When the business model is “entirely and wholeheartedly humanitarian-based” and any earnings, after expenses, go right back to the country.
When my husband Gary died of cancer, my kids encouraged me to take an early retirement. The plan was to temporarily move to my son Jeremy and daughter-in-law Denise’s place in Marina del Rey.
Last week I was in Albany, Oregon with my daughter, Summer, who was house-hunting. We stopped into Margin Coffee in the old downtown area for hot beverages.
Thirteen years ago, daughter Summer and son-in-law Josh packed up the grandkids and moved away from the Pacific Northwest.
Copyright © 2026 Marlys Johnson
