This project would never have come to fruition were it not for the invaluable efforts of some extraordinary individuals.
Jamie Malinowski has been all I can hope for in a writing coach. At one moment during the project, I told Hillary, “Forget the book; all I want is a gold star from Jamie.” Jamie’s unrelenting, critical eye and heartfelt concern for every part of the book made for a potent if not humbling source of guidance.
If a literary agent is meant to be a steady, guiding hand and a staunch defender of an author’s interests, then I can testify that David McCormick and the staff at McCormick Literary are amazing at what they do. The same would go for my editor, Rick Wolff, at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. He believed unwaveringly in the book from day one and has been a steady, grounding force behind the scenes the whole way. Many thanks also to the entire team at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; I am very fortunate to have been in their very capable and dedicated hands.
One of my favorite parts of writing this book was reconnecting with the people in it. It proved to be a wonderful opportunity for reminiscing with old friends and hearing their insights on the story. I remain immensely grateful to Ed Catmull, John Lasseter, Larry Sonsini, Skip Brittenham, Sam Fischer, Todd Carter, and Hal Vogel for their contributions, friendship, and support.
Many thanks to my dear friend Lisa Brennan-Jobs, who helped me believe I could turn this story into a book even when I doubted it. I am deeply grateful for her encouragement and support.
Much gratitude also to my great friend Peter Glassman. From long walks along the seawalls of Vancouver to our inspiring correspondence, Peter’s encouragement spurred me on more than I think he knows.
Very special thanks to Christina Juskiewicz, Pam Moriarty, Terry Moriarty, Will Pierog, and David Pirko, each of whom took much time and care to read the manuscript and share their many thoughtful insights.
If there were a living example of what it means to embody the Middle Way, it would be Segyu Rinpoche. The vitality and energy of life course through him, and he is a tribute to selfless action. He has taught me what it means to enjoy simultaneously a beautiful friendship and a profound teacher.
Which brings me to my immediate family, Hillary, Jason, Sarah, and Jenna.
Jason has blossomed into a wonderful creative leader. His penetrating critiques of each chapter, sensitivity to story structure, and willingness to patiently talk through any detail helped me every step of the way.
Sarah has long brought the highest standards of excellence to all she does. I have now discovered that this includes an uncanny eye for editing. The book benefited tremendously from her discerning comments and many thoughtful ideas.
Jenna has insight way beyond her years. She took to playfully using smiley faces and sad faces on her reviews of the manuscript. Although the moment in the story when she was born received the biggest smiley face, ignoring the sad faces would have made for a far lesser book.
Hillary is my partner in life. She has always skillfully encouraged me to be my best while remaining my staunchest defender. Her keen critical eye watched over the evolution of the book, making sure it reflected what happened to the best of her, and my, memory. The story reveals a good part of our adventure together. I am ever thankful that after more than thirty years, we are still on that adventure.
At the end of Jason’s review of the final draft he wrote:
“You wrote a book. Yay!”
We all did it together.