Life is like a dream

Man, time flies! Sometimes, it feels like I took a nap, and when I woke up, my life was all just a dream. One day, I was praying in my backyard, enjoying the flowers, listening to the birds singing, and watching the butterflies fly, and it got me thinking about the good old days growing up. Some of these memories seem so far away, like they were just dreams.

About 4 years ago, my husband suffered from a heart attack. Thankfully, he has recovered from this setback, but it was a pivotal moment for me, and it changed my perspective on things. I started to look back on things I enjoyed growing up and reminding myself that tomorrow is not guaranteed. So, from then on, I stopped just dreaming about those things that made me happy and focused on actually doing those things that bring me joy. That's when, I believe, I discovered my "PFE" or Purpose for Existing - WOW! So powerful!

Learning, reading, and writing have always been a few of my favorite things, even as a young child. After I retired, I wrote my first book, "Young Living: Escaping Diabetes Through Healthy Living." I was 71 years old, and it was published in February of 2023. I learned so much from writing that first book, but especially that I can't help anyone unless they are truly ready to receive my help. Now, I am 74 and I have no health issues. I'm able to get around and enjoy the things I love to do, and I am happy. What a blessing! I believe that I am not getting older, but I am getting better. I am always grateful, even when things don't seem to be going my way. My philosophy is that if I am having fun, then I will continue doing what I am doing, as long as I am not hurting anybody. I am going to keep enjoying my life to the fullest.

I wrote this book to share my memories and story with my sister, Jean. She is 15 years younger than I am and often asks about what she missed before she was born. Looking back, our mother likely suffered from mental illness, but back then, we just thought she was "crazy." Three of my siblings and I went through tough times with our mom. Our youngest sister, Jean, sometimes wonders what she missed because she has heard scary stories of things that our mother did to us, but not all things are bad - I still have memories of good times growing up and believe that my past helped shape who I am today.

In my writing, I share how I live an authentic, joyous, healthy, and meaningful life in hopes that it will inspire or give hope to others. In this book specifically, I share my story from childhood memories to sharing how I developed a meaningful and fulfilling life despite my background and struggles. I want to share how the tough times I went through made me stronger and, overall, a better person. It encourages my readers to do what they can to lead a meaningful life for themselves, regardless of age, background, lifestyle, or status.