Memoir Introduction

Two very important people in my life have told me, “You’re one of the strongest women I know.” I never thought of myself as strong. In my mind, I was just living, moving through life one day at a time. When situations came up, I did what was needed to get through them, and there were a lot of situations to get through.

Like everyone else in the world, I’ve had many life experiences. Some were good, some not so good. I’ve laughed a lot and cried a lot, but when the tears dried and a new day started, I moved on to the next thing. I didn’t take the time I needed to work through my emotions; the thought never occurred to me.

Looking over my life and remembering different events, it amazes me that I didn’t fall into some of the traps that ensnare or trip up others. They say people are a product of their environment. I watched people close to me live through drug addiction and abusive relationships. I was able to avoid physical abuse in my relationships, but I have been in emotionally abusive situations. One relationship in particular, I stayed in much longer than I should have. The stories of my life have made it clear that my inner strength and the grace of God are the reasons I am still here.