Reflections Along the Journey
Life has a way of teaching us through the people we meet, the places we explore, and the experiences we never expected. Here I share the reflections, lessons, and discoveries that have become the touchstones and turning points of my own journey.
Every Place has a Story
Some stories are found in the towns where we grew up. Others are hidden in historic homes, quiet museums, weathered monuments, or places we pass every day without a second thought. Join me as we uncover the people, events, and moments that have shaped our communities and discover the stories waiting to be found all around us.
Hometown Stories
There is something grounding about knowing the place you call home: its landmarks, quiet corners, familiar roads, and the stories layered beneath everyday life. Whether you grew up there or found your way later, towns have a way of shaping us, offering a sense of continuity and belonging that endures through the years.
History Around Us
I’ve always been drawn to the quiet reminders of the past, plaques, statues, and weathered stones that hold the memory of lives once lived. Exploring these traces connects me to those who came before and deepens my appreciation for the world we share.
Homes With Stories
Some homes stay with me, not for their size or design, but for the lives they’ve held within their walls. I’m fascinated by how a single room can hold laughter, love, and countless moments that linger softly long after time moves on.
Curated History
Some of history's greatest stories are preserved not in the places where they happened, but in the museums, archives, and private collections that have carefully safeguarded them. In this section, I'll share the collections I've explored, the artifacts that captured my attention, and the stories they continue to tell. Each visit offers another opportunity to connect with the people, events, and ideas that have shaped our world.
Meet Nan
As I move through my seventh decade of life, I have come to appreciate that our lives are shaped by touchstones and turning points. Some are people. Some are places. Some are moments we recognize immediately, while others reveal their significance only with time.
My journey has taken me from the small towns of New England to national parks across America, from the cobblestone streets of Europe to historic sites around the world. Along the way, I have discovered that every place has a story waiting to be uncovered. Whether standing in a presidential home, walking a Civil War battlefield, exploring a quiet museum, or reading a bundle of family letters, I have found that history is not simply about the past, it helps us better understand ourselves and the paths that brought us here.
For more than four decades, I have also been privileged to serve as a chiropractor, teacher, and mentor. While I am grateful for the professional accomplishments, I have learned that the greatest rewards are found in the relationships built with patients, students, colleagues, friends, and family. Those connections have become some of the most meaningful touchstones in my own life.
This website is a collection of those discoveries. It is where history, travel, family, and personal reflection come together. Through these stories, I hope to encourage others to develop curiosity, look a little closer, and discover the remarkable people, places, and moments that surround them.
Because I’ve come to believe that every place has a story… and every life is shaped by the touchstones and turning points we choose to remember.
Along the Journey
Travel has never been about collecting destinations. It's about discovering the people, places, and moments that stay with us long after we've returned home. Through America's national parks, journeys around the world, and the messages left behind by earlier generations, I've found that every journey has the potential to become a touchstone and every discovery can become a turning point.
Our National Parks
From towering mountains to quiet forests, winding coastlines, and historic sites our national parks hold the stories of the land and the people who have walked it before us. Each visit is a step into history, a chance to connect with the past, revel in the present, and a reminder of the beauty we're called to protect. I have explored over 400 of these treasures. My journey is about discovery, reflection, and the simple joy of experiencing places that belong to us all.
Exploring the World
International travel has been one of the great teachers of my life. Walking through ancient streets, standing before monuments, and sharing moments with people from different cultures has expanded not only my understanding of the world but also of myself. Each journey has left me with new stories, new perspectives, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty and resilience woven into every corner of our globe.
Messages From the Past
A Window Into Everyday Life on the American Home Front, These correspondences preserved from World War II, offer a rare, unfiltered look into what it meant to live through World War II as an American civilian. These letters, written by my parents and grandmother, caught in an extraordinary moment in time, capture the realities of a nation mobilized for war: rationing, restricted travel, overcrowded railways, financial strain, and the emotional weight carried by families waiting for news from their loved ones. In these pages we see how mothers worried about their sons, wives longed to be with their husbands, and how soldiers coped with situations that pushed them to their limits. We also glimpse the infrastructure of wartime America, hospital trains transporting the wounded, shifting railroad schedules as troop movement took priority, and the everyday acceptance of sacrifice as a civic duty. Beyond the headlines, these letters tell the story of how war shaped daily existence: the uncertainty of when loved ones would return, the struggle to balance hope with hardship, and the quiet resilience found in kitchens, train stations, and small towns across the country. Together, they illuminate a world in which ordinary Americans live with constant shortages, ever-changing rules, and the unspoken expectation to endure.
All in The Head
It’s All in the Head is more than a book, it reflects over four decades of experience as both a parent and a healthcare provider. Co-authored with my husband, Dr. Martin Rosen, this work brings together the lessons, insights, and clinical understanding we’ve gathered while caring for our own children and for families in practice.
At the heart of this message is a simple but powerful idea: many things we are told are “common” in children are not always truly “normal.” When we begin to look more closely, we can better understand what our children are telling us through their development, behavior, and health.
This book was created to guide parents through those early, formative years with greater clarity and confidence, offering practical insight, meaningful perspective, and the reassurance that you can trust your observations and instincts.
My hope is that it empowers you to ask better questions, recognize early patterns, and make informed choices that support your child’s growth, development, and long-term well-being.
Coming Soon
The Four Houses
