Coffee with Catherine Ryan Gregory

Fifty Cups of Coffee #12: Catherine Ryan Gregory
Date: March 8, 2024
Location: Morse Coffee Shop, 417 First Street, Lake Oswego, Oregon

How we know each other

Catherine and I first met many years ago through a Portland Bloggers group. We used to see each other at different blogging events, and we hadn’t seen each other since pre-pandemic times. During that time, she published a few books and was a surrogate mom. I so admire that she was able to bring a bundle of joy to another couple.

It was a joy to be able to catch up in person at long last for this coffee chat!

What Catherine is doing now

Catherine currently lives and works in West Linn, Oregon as a freelance writer and editor. She has two daughters, ages 10 and 8. Catherine is also the blogger behind the family travel site, To and Fro Fam.

Three questions

During these Fifty Cups of Coffee chats, I ask each person the same three questions. The reasoning behind each is as follows:

Question 1 – Social media makes it easy for other people to think that they know us, when truthfully, we all only see a small sliver of someone’s life and who they really are. This is the interviewee’s chance to share something that is important to them that, for whatever reason, other people may not know.

Question 2 – We all have fears, no matter who are are or where we are in life. This helps connect us and show we are all more alike than we are different.

Question 3 – I believe the answer to this question helps show each person’s true values, passions, and their why in life.

There are no right or wrong answers to any of these. I’m including each person’s answers in first person. Their answers have been edited from my notes for length and clarity, but these are their words.

What is one thing you wish more people knew about you?

“If there is something I would like people to know it’s that my heart is in the right place and I’m doing my best. The more I thought about it, the more I realize that, as an introvert and someone in their head a lot, I worry that I may seem standoffish. And I also need more time to myself, to recuperate or recover from life. So sometimes that looks like standing by myself at kids’ pick-up, or being quiet in a group conversation. It’s just because of how I’m built. But my heart is always there.” 

“As an Eneagram 3, I have high expectations of myself and always think I can do more than I can. I have to actively fight against being too hard on myself and remind myself also that I’m doing my best. I hate disappointing people, so I think it’s helpful for people to know.” 

“These two things — that’s probably what we should all know about everyone else. It’s a good reminder for about everyone else. We’re all doing our best and we have the best intentions.” 

What is your deepest fear?

“My deepest fear is losing my family. It’s not something I actively think about all the time, but I can’t even make my brain go there. There are certain books I can’t read, or movies or shows I can’t watch, about kids and loss. It feels too close to home and scary, so I don’t like to go there.” 

If you had unlimited funds, what would you do with your life?

“Sometimes I try to play this game with Eric and he hates it. If money weren’t an issue, I would go back to school and study fine arts. I love art. I taught myself how to paint during the pandemic. In high school, I took pottery. Art isn’t that big of a part of my life right now, but it’s what I’m working on – to deepen a creative practice.”

“I would spend my time making art, hanging out with family, and I would get more dogs. I’d volunteer and travel. Traveling is pretty much my favorite thing to do on the planet and there are so many places in the world to see and explore and get to know that I would want to travel a lot.” 

Lessons Learned

Here are a few of my biggest takeaways from our coffee chat:

• “My heart is in the right place and I’m doing my best.” I loved this, and I agree with Catherine. We should give everyone some grace, and believe that everyone is doing their best, with the best intentions. We often form opinions of why someone is doing something based on our own preconceived notions and our own experiences, when really, we should practice empathy and try to understand it from the other person’s point of view.
• It’s never too late or too early to find a new passion in life. I admire that Catherine would go back to school and study fine arts. As someone who always has what some people might say is too many interests and passion projects, I will always support following your heart and pursuing paths that bring you joy.

Thanks for taking the time to meet up for a coffee chat, Catherine!

Learn more about Catherine

Follow her travel blog: Toandfrofam.com 

Follow her on Instagram: @ToandFroFam

Follow 50 Cups of Coffee

Follow 50 Cups of Coffee on Instagram.

Visit my main website: Urban Bliss Life.

Learn more about me at MarlynnSchotland.com.