Ah, yes . . . I’ve been there many times, well, that’s until everything changed!

First, let me back up and start from the beginning. I had a normal childhood, basically a normal family life. I did quite well in school and went off to college on a scholarship. After college, I accelerated in my career and quickly went to the top of hospital management. Got married and found out that it wasn’t a good situation, but I fought to make it work. After exhausting all my effort, got a divorce. A while later I met a man who was intelligent, simple and very nice. I married him and am still married to him. . . Although he is more than I could imagine, there is no human that can complete you. Unfortunately I didn’t figure that out until I went on a risky journey, but I don’t want to get a head of myself here . . .

I continued accelerating in my career until I turned 50 and decided there had to be more to life than working 60 hour work weeks and being responsible for 1,000's of employees. So I semi- retired to go on a journey to figure out life . . . I traveled for two years across our country doing and experiencing about everything. During that time I found myself to be angry, restless, bored, and feeling like life was a hoax . . . I always believed that I would finally arrive at the pinnacle of life, whatever that was suppose to be . . . I believed that I had lived the American dream, but found it to be an empty reality.

Finally I came home from my journey. Luckily my husband was lovingly waiting for me, saying that it was a necessary journey that I had taken. But I knew it had not been a journey of success. I was glad that part of my life was over. During those two years, I stored up tons of interesting stories and now had an archive of much to write about. So I started writing. For the next three years I wrote a literary novel, short stories, and poems. I completely enjoyed the writing process. But just when the excitement of my novel about to be released, I found out that my wonderful step-son was diagnosed with cancer. It was devastating. For the next five months I watched him fight for his life, only to see him lose it. That period became the most painful time in my life.

The next three months would be filled with depression. All I kept saying to myself was, "what’s life all about?" Then four months after he was buried, I remember a book that he had gave us. It was THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by Rick Warren. As I began to read it, it became clear that life is about our journey to God . . . The book helped me gain such clarity about life. I committed my life to Christ and began my spiritual walk. It’s amazing how much peace and hope exist in me for the first time. I encourage everyone to read it . . . I no longer wake up saying, ‘so just another day’ . . . Everyday is special because I feel so alive and at peace.