Why Am I Blogging - Again?

Nearly two decades ago, I retired my WordPress blog, An Examined Life. Back then, I thought I had said all I needed to say. Life moved on, responsibilities piled up, and the idea of blogging again felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford. These days, I’m so busy I sometimes have to schedule bathroom breaks just to survive the day.

So why start again? Why give The Ex4mined L1fe a shot?

Because writing is therapeutic. It’s how I keep the thoughts bouncing between my ears from ricocheting endlessly. Whether on paper or screen, journaling helps me process, reflect, and release.

In the not-so-distant past, I went through a series of traumatic events—personally and professionally—that shook me to my core. One of the hardest chapters was closing a proud parish school that had nearly reached its 200th anniversary. We had to find new homes for almost 200 children and two dozen staff members. No matter how solid you are as a leader, no one walks away from that unscathed.

And just before that, the world was thrown into the chaos of a once-in-a-century pandemic. We had no roadmap, no clear guidance, and yet we had to keep going. At times, I had to pull solutions out of thin air, praying that no one would get sick—or worse—because I was determined to keep our doors open. For the record, SSP School was the only school in the City of St. Louis that remained open for all 175 school days. Every day began and ended with stress, tension, and countless prayers.

Meanwhile, the criticism was relentless. Parents, teachers, staff, parishioners—everyone had something to say. My competence, leadership, compassion, and character were all called into question. It didn’t make me stronger. It made me doubt myself as an educator and as a human being.

Holding all that inside began to unravel the very fabric of who I was. The Greg I knew started to fade.

Long story short: I sought help. And I found it.

Today, I’m proud to say that the Old Greg is about 95% back. That remaining 5%? It held some things I’m better off without—immaturity, impulsiveness, judgment. I’ve learned that planning isn’t a weakness, and compassion isn’t optional.

So if blogging helps me stay grounded, polished, and maybe even a little wiser—then game on, my friends.

I’ll keep pounding away at this keyboard, taking one more swim before the season ends, airing up the bike tires, and letting the elliptical become my new adversary. Thank you for peeking in at The Ex4mined L1fe from time to time to see what thoughts I’m purging from between my ears.

If I can help even one person feel less alone, more understood, or simply more human—then it’s worth every keystroke.

We all have demons. Let’s help each other exorcise them—and get fit in the process.