More About Me
Life experiences, good and bad, are always part of the journey. Emotional pain, no matter how unpleasant, is an opportunity to grow. I have lived through divorce, loss of loved ones, corporate downsizing, relocating for employment opportunities, and starting over, alone, in new cities, far from those that I love.
But all of that has made me stronger, more confident, and appreciative. I have 2 wonderful adult sons, I have found true love, I got married again (and yes, there really are soulmates), we restored two homes together, traveled to exciting places and I have learned to let go and follow my dreams.
Most of my life was defined by what others expected of me — or, what I later came to realize, what I thought others expected of me. Despite this awareness, I made peace with this as a consequence of life and lived every day trying to make everyone happy. When it worked, it made me happy. I didn’t realize at the time that there was a price to be paid. I kept pushing the bar higher and anything less was failure. Even if the others didn’t notice, I did.
After 30 years of marriage, it became obvious that we were hurting each other, and ourselves. It was not sustainable.
Once I was on my own, there was a moment when I realized that I really had no idea who I was. Even the basics were unknown to me. What would I eat, where would I live, how would I decorate, what would I wear, if there was only me to please.
Some questions needed to be answered quickly, while others would evolve as part of the healing process.
So, I set off on a journey to find out who I am, and I will continue on this path the rest of my life because I now know that I matter. I have learned to listen to my inner voice and take action, however small, to let the voice be heard.
A Fulfilled Journey is the culmination of my life’s journey, to this point, and how I express myself through my home, my garden, my diet and through fashion. It is also giving me a voice and in the process is allowing me to dive deeper in what I have learned along the way.
I am also learning to honor those that I love by reflecting on the lessons these wonderful people have bestowed upon me.
My mom taught me to sew, preserve the garden’s bounty and to be kind to others.
My dad taught me to think outside the box, how to build a house, and that girls are not limited to what they can do or think. He also taught me that if you get thrown off a horse, get back on and show it who is boss. This has become a metaphor for my life.
My grandfather taught me that you can grow anything in a garden, even popcorn.
Aunt Barbie, who was like a grandmother to me, taught me an appreciation of natural remedies and that there was nothing better than having loved ones around the table for a home cooked meal.
My children have taught me to follow my dreams, no matter how daunting they may be.
And last, but not least, my husband, Dudley has taught me that I am perfect, just the way I am. That has made me brave.
You will see glimpses of all these wonderful people in my blog. I hope you will learn as much from them as I have.