One of my favorite quotes about history comes from the author, David McCullough. He gives this bold challenge: Because you were born into this particular era doesn’t mean it has to be the limit of your experience. Move about in time, go places. Why restrict your circle of acquaintances to only those who occupy the same stage we call the present?

I have this quote posted in various places where I work, teach, and think each day, and for the past several years, I’ve accepted  McCullough’s challenge and spent my days time-traveling 400 years into the past to the Dutch Colony of New Netherland. As I’ve frequented this place, I’ve enlarged my “circle of acquaintances” to include people who lived there, and my best friend from that time is Catalyntje Trico. 

Ever since I learned about Catalyntje, she has been in my thoughts each day for over a decade. I found out about the family she came from, her husband, her children, and most of her grandchildren. I learned about many of her neighbors and what she enjoyed doing. I discovered who she met during her life and what they said about her. I read her words from court cases and depositions and found where she worked and lived. Incidentally, I know more about her than most people I interact with every day. 

Catalyntje inspired me and taught me many things, and I felt her life needed to be shared, so I started writing a book about her several years ago. I’ve reached the end of this project by completing the final rewriting and editing during the past four months before searching for publishing options. Working on this final step has allowed me to spend time with Catalyntje every day. 

This week, as I realized I was nearly finished with this step of the writing process, I expected it to be an exciting milestone, but instead, I was heartbroken because I recognized it would mean I couldn’t spend as much time with my friend, Catalyntje. I cried with her as her family and friends died. I’ve been exhausted with her as she’s cleared the land with her husband, and I’ve spent time with her in her garden. And as I neared the end of my book, I realized I would have to sit with her as she died. Obviously, I knew this would happen because she lived 400 years ago, and I’ve already written those last chapters, but I didn’t want to lose these daily interactions with my friend. So, despite my misgivings, I reluctantly edited those final chapters with a melancholy heart and am pleased with the story I’ve woven about Catalyntje’s extraordinary life. As this part of my writing has ended, I plan to keep moving about in time to continue this friendship as I introduce Catalyntje to people from my time who will hopefully become friends with her as I have.