* I am the proud mother of 4 beautiful daughters. one of whom died tragically at age 40, in 1998. My #1 daughter has a Masters in Nursing and a PhD in Education. She is the Director of a 2 year Nursing Program in a Community College. She has 2 sons, about to enter college. My #3 daughter is the Office Manager of a branch bank. She has 3 sons in Little League. The pitcher is 11, the twin out-fielders are 10. My baby girl is a former Marine, married to a career Marine. She is currently working on a degree in Child Psych, is active in Marine Wives and is in the National Guard.
* In my working life I have been an industrial engraver, a wood-carver, a mediocre artist, and a Counselor/Therapist.
* Since my husband was a blue water sailor. I was in effect, a single parent much of the time. I frequently juggled 2 jobs in the early years. I went back to school at age 42 to get a Degree in Psych, while working full-time.
* I have always been a woman on my own. In the early years because of my rebellious nature, and later as a gradually self-actualizing person. I have never quite understood the Libbers, since I was a liberated woman before BF thoght of it.
* In retrospect, I suppose there were many obstacles; poverty, paternal abandonment, self-will, and alcohoism. Today, I look upon them as life-lessons which though painfully learned, have made me the woman I am. Through the Grace of God, the Fellowship of AA and good therapy, I have been regenerated for 36 years.
* I am more than a survivor. I am a liver of my life, and can let the dead past bury itself. I no longer carry it with me like Mad Juana of Portugal carried her dead husband's body for years.
* I have come to realize that being an incomplete human, for whatever reasons, was the cause of all my pain. I had a hole in my soul that the cold winds blew through, from my earliest memory. Today I am filled and fulfilled.
* The most important things I have done were raising my daughers to be self-actualized women, and the work I did in my 20 years in the alcoholism field. Early on I began to see myself as a conduit for God's Grace to flow through to other suffering alcoholics. Today I have many "Ninos de mi Corazon"~ children of my heart, who gave me the privilege of touching thier lives.
* Today my life can be summed up by two quotations:
"As for me and my house we will serve the LORD." ~Joshua 24:15.
"Sometimes we can help each other along the way." ~Jonathan Livingston Seagull