In the spring of 2009, my life was in a state of flux. My assignments were dwindling after several years of contributing to the Arts & Entertainment section of The Dallas Morning News, and I was expecting our third child. I wanted to continue writing but didn’t know what my options were. Salvation came by way of a phone call: a new edition of The News, called Briefing, was being launched and I came highly recommended to join the Moms Panel, an ensemble of women like myself with children of all ages, who would expound on all issues, local and national, that affected parents. Would I be interested in joining, and by the way, did I have any children?

I responded that I had two and was expecting another, then gladly accepted. Soon after, my career as a columnist began.

Over time, before and after Layla was born, Briefing meant more to me than deadlines, word counts and a paycheck. The publication itself gave me a quicker way to stay informed on the news and kept me sane (and coherent) by allowing me to mix constantly with more adults. Most importantly, the Moms Panel exposed me to a group of insightful, intelligent women who came from all walks of life but were united in a common goal: sharing of themselves while using their wisdom and experience to speak on issues that mattered. When priorities changed, life happened and the number of writers dropped to Tyra Damm and myself, I was still proud to meet the challenge.

What meant the most to me then, and now, is that someone saw the potential in me to expand my abilities as a writer. It’s a duty and an honor to express myself, educate and enlighten from such a prestigious platform, so the fact that this will be my very last column here is bittersweet.

If anything else in life is inevitable, besides taxes, it’s change. As we bid adieu to Briefing, I want to express my absolute gratitude for, of course, being selected in the first place. I am grateful to the many editors, past and present, that believed in my talent, suggested story ideas, welcomed mine and curated my words, often pushing me in new directions that I didn’t know I had the knowledge to navigate. I am grateful for the ladies I worked alongside, learned from and still count as friends (we are so overdue for a lunch, y’all!). Parenting children in both the 20th and 21st centuries takes major skills, and multiple perspectives keep us in the loop on what techniques we should incorporate and what to let expire.

I am also glad, of course, for our dedicated readers. Whether or not you agreed with my points, and expressed your stance by email or in person, I have learned volumes from our discourse, and in turn, more about myself. When I shared news of my mother in-law’s passing and my husband’s cancer diagnosis, so many of you expressed encouragement and support, which means more than I could ever say, in print or otherwise. I hope to keep that dialogue going between us as I contribute to The News’ Opinion pages. New laws are in place, politics remain volatile and there are events that cry out for nuance. As a Black woman born into Generation X, a group reconciling our analog upbringings and a digital-fueled, AI-encompassing future, I find writing helps me make sense of it all. As long as I am able, I am humbled to join other esteemed voices in deciphering the terrain we all travel, parallel or otherwise, as neighbors, community members, voters and citizens.

That 2009 phone call to join Briefing was a lifeline that taught me two truths: Windows open when doors shut, and every goodbye ain’t gone. Thank you, Briefing, and thank you readers. Words have power, and I’m thrilled that these won’t be our last.