My name is Tara Thacker. Cate has been in my ear for almost 6 years. We met in the flesh at the Teton retreat in June, 2015.

The twisted fate has to do with why I decided to fly into Jackson Hole, rent a car and drive across the growing baby mountains that hugged the clouds. Six months prior my Mom died in a car accident. The accident could have been avoided and my family and I were the leaders to make the intersection( less than a mile from my parent’s home) safer. To say I was in need of healing doesn’t quite touch it!

I arrived a day early wearing my grief like a blanket wrapped tightly around my heart. I figured Cate wouldn’t know me since I was mainly a “lurker”. I was good with being invisible then, and I actually had convinced myself I liked it! She had no idea who I was as she hugged me and I wiped yet another tear.

Somewhere in all the Circling we did those 3 days, Cate and I were grouped together. I remember her asking if I was ready, but more like a statement. And my reply was,”NO” half joking half very serious. She picked up on my wounded little girl and I just sat there dumbfounded. My ego wanted to tell her to “Shut the fuck up.” The blanket was getting peeled back and it was uncomfortable. But uncomfortable felt better than suffocating in my pain.

My “safe place” was cracked open. The crack let in the light of possibility for something else. The conversation went from little girl energy to Badass Woman really fast. And before I knew what had just happened, I was picturing myself in black leather pants!

What happened was I found my tribe. I found my roots 1,280 miles away from my home. As I think of the view from the Teepee with the Grand Tetons in the distance, I hear their gentle whisper…. We are evolving just like you and the cracks are necessary to grow my love.

My cracks have turned into deep grooves of purpose.