What started as a simple offering of love and a way to break up the monotony of the Covid-19 pandemic quickly became something much larger—an act of care, a practice of witness, and a way to highlight the human experience in a time of upheaval.

I didn’t set out knowing how it would unfold. At first, I wasn’t sure if I could give the idea the attention it deserved. But I quickly realized it wasn’t all up to me. The Porch Story Project came to life through the willingness of a community. Families invited me onto their porches, into their stories, and together we created something that now belongs to all of us.

I often think of what Elizabeth Gilbert wrote in Big Magic: that ideas are alive, and they choose us as partners to be made manifest. The Porch Story Project chose me. And I listened.

But this project is also an extension of how I see the world. In life and in work, I fearlessly ask why. I’m always searching for what hides beneath the surface—the guts, the raw and messy truth, the sacred tucked inside the ordinary.

The Porch Story Project honors the quiet, ordinary moments that became extraordinary when the world shifted. It is memory, presence, and belonging. It is proof that even in times of separation, we still find ways to connect.

I believe in “get to” rather than “have to.” In the power of family—the one you’re born into and the one you choose. I believe that every moment, whether heavy or radiant, contributes to the big picture. And I believe that when we come together to share our stories, we uncover not only who we are, but who we can become.

~ Michelle L Bliss