I was thinking about how I survived, and flourished. Yes, I consider myself flourishing these days. I have a happy, loving family, I completed my masters degree a worthwhile career, and I have moved to the Pacific Northwest, where I have long wanted to live. This may sound like bragging, and maybe it is! I see the long journey I've already made, from my bleak childhood, getting lighter, more joy-filled and growing wiser each year. I can't even imagine where my future adventures may lead.
I dedicate this page to everyone making this journey, and to those who helped me out of a dark time, when I could have easily given up and settled for a depressing lot in life, following a path laid out for me instead of breaking away and running for the mountains.
These are the strong, intelligent women who helped me when I was a teen. They were role-models, though I didn't realize it at the time. Some by intent, I think, others just be small statements that made me question, hope and dream. Just by being themselves, even by the mistakes they made, I learned, and made choices for myself. All are wonderful human beings. If any of them read this, or anyone who knows them reads this, I hope you will pass along my sincere thanks. They touched and changed at least one life.
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