Hi There!

Kate Smithson | Anon Gray
4 min readJun 22, 2021

Some food for thought.

All images courtesy of the author

Welcome to my Medium page! I’m so grateful that you’ve stopped by.

You’re probably here hoping I’ll bare my soul to you, giving a peek into what inspires me to write. I’ll be honest, that’s what I look for when I read fellow writer’s “about” pages.

I’d hate to disappoint you so let’s dive in!

I’m many things, but my writing tugs at the more elemental qualities of my life. Things like the shaping of my identity, discoveries I’ve made about mental health, finding a surprising amount of strength in adversary, and reflecting on the more formative experiences in my life.

Let me explain.

Childhood

My life began as an orphan. Left on the steps of a police officer’s house, I made my first international flight from South Korea to the US as a 10 month old baby. My journey from abandonment to belonging has been indirect, and will continue for the rest of my days.

My arrival at the airport.

My role as a daughter and sister have had profound impacts on how I see the world, how I face my struggles, and how I treat strangers and friends alike. More than any experience of my life, my writing is informed by the unique family I’m a part of.

My parents, brother, and me.

Parenthood

Becoming a parent was intentional, but I was resistant to the idea for a long time. It wasn’t until I experienced the profound growth that comes with being a mom that I could recognize it as one of the most important decisions I’ve ever made. I’m not a perfect parent, and don’t aspire to be, but I’m grateful for the role I get to play in my children’s lives.

My boys.

Expat Life

I’ve never fit in. Not in my family, my country, or my skin. Not too long ago, I stopped trying to and ventured out into a world and community where “fitting out,” was the norm. Being an expat for nearly 10 years now, across more than a dozen countries, has been the one place where I’ve felt most at home.

But my writing isn’t all serious and intense (though admittedly that’s much of it).

I’m a huge fan of food, especially dessert, and I love sharing ideas inspired by food. Consider it “food for thought.” I’ve learned a great deal about life through the flavours of sourdough bread, injera, tacos, and more. Be forewarned, food analogies are a common staple throughout my work.

I admire the hell out of dogs and their ability to live such a zen life. My furry child Rita sits by my side most days while I peck away at the keyboard. She helps remind me to take life less seriously.

Rita, my furry child.

Writing is my passion, but it’s not my everything. When I’m not staring at a blank screen, trying to get the gremlins in my head to quiet down, I enjoy reading books like this one, or this one, or even this one, talking to my house plants (all 20 of them), snuggling with my pup, eating chocolate cake, and traveling with my boys.

The best way to keep track of my work is to subscribe here for my biweekly newsletter, Food For Thought, where I share:

- a quote for inspiration (Appetizers),
- my latest articles linked in a reflection piece (The Entree),
- plus a warm and fuzzy recommendation to make you smile (Dessert).

You can also find my work here on Medium in publications like Change Becomes You, Illumination, and Be Yourself.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope to see you around!

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Kate Smithson | Anon Gray

Smithson is the author of “The Space Between.” She’s also the creator of Anon Gray | Print, a zine about living life on purpose. Learn more at anongray.com.