About Regan Burke
Regan Burke is an old Chicago hippie, retired political organizer, recovered alcoholic, and a compulsive writer. She dreams up ideas for Skyline Village Chicago, sings in the Good Memories Choir, leads a meditation group, and organizes neighborhood sing alongs. When a physician prescribed expressive writing for chronic pain in 2014, Regan started writing and has been at it ever since. Writing teachers prompt her to produce 500 words of edited prose each week which she posts to a personal blog, backstoryessays.com. Regan’s work has appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Sun Magazine, Chicago History Museum/In This Together, City Creatures, Safe 'n Sound, Easter Seals Blog. Writing Out Loud, The Center for Life & Learning Anthology and Rise Up! Journal.
I write these truths at my window from an old high rise anchored to Potawatomi land in downtown Chicago. Henry the dog sits at my feet as I spy on crows cawing around the trees rooted to the shore of Lake Michigan.
Writing the truth has cured my pain
from severe spinal stenosis.
Telling the truth has cured the deep-seated anxiety sprung from a lifelong feeling of not belonging.
"Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world…" – Brené Brown
