Because of the changes I have experienced over the last year, I have decided to, once again, take the Ultimate Blog Challenge for October. This post will be a reintroduction of myself and my purpose for being here, in this blogging spot, day after day, and year after year.

Before I begin, let me say that I’m a night owl who writes her posts between about 10 PM and 1 AM on a typical day. As such, my posts, as far as the Ultimate Blog Challenge is concerned, will always have the previous day’s date, to be consistent with the practice I’ve already established.

I began this blog on Facebook in 2009 as both a healing and a sharing which began when my mother committed suicide in 1993. As is true with most of our lives, tragedies and traumas do not wait for the right time to occur, and my life was no different. Between an ugly divorce, the corporate downsizing so prevalent in the ’90’s, the Joy as well as the trials and tribulations of raising twin girls alone… suffice it to say, the road has been rocky. It got even rockier in 2003 when my dad, upon learning that he had lung cancer, took a page from my mom’s book and, once again, turned my world a little sideways. By the time I started the first version of this blog (everything from day 1 is here, in the archives, if you want to peruse the beginnings), I had about 26,000 words of a book about healing from the loss of a parent by suicide.

Although my intention, when I began to write, was to share my experiences and help others cope with a tragedy made worse by social stigma. What really happened was that I found a lot of holes in myself, a lot of open wounds and a few scars. By writing about it, sharing my thoughts, my feelings, my process of healing, I believe I did more good for myself than anyone else. However, I also realized, from conversations and comments which followed, that I had given others a place to talk about something which had previously only been discussed in whispers, with we, the survivors, feeling a shame we didn’t deserve.

Although my book is still in progress, my life has been a real roller coaster ride of changes, including quitting my job as an accountant to be the writer I always dreamed of being. The road isn’t any smoother, but I’m happier for the change.

My hope now is to use this forum to inspire people, let them know they’re not alone, no matter how rough the road they’ve been traveling, and to help bring changes to our world through gratitude, positive energy, affirmations and love.

If I touch a single life in such a way that that person is able to make their life a little better, I believe I’ve achieved my purpose.

I believe that each and every one of us is here, if for no other reason, to make the world a better place. We can only do that “one starfish at a time”. We have all learned something in our current human experience. Sharing those lessons might just resonate with someone who needs a boost of inspiration to get over their current bump in the road.

What you’ll find in this blog will always be brutally honest and completely candid. As I continue to move forward in my new career and all of its facets, you may see excerpts of stories, attempts to practice something I’m learning, or just expressions of joy or frustration. Whatever happens, I’ll do my best to entertain rather than bore. But I must warn you that I have a tendency to jump topics in what I call my “ADHD run amok” writing style, so there may be times when you’ll look at the words on the screen, shake your head and say: “Huh?” Don’t worry. It’s me, not you!

I hope you’ll enjoy this blog, read it often and comment when you feel inspired. If nothing else, the five gratitudes I end it with might raise a chuckle as I am grateful for all manner of things, few of them overly serious.

Tonight’s Gratitudes are:
1. I am grateful for having been able to keep finding something to write about for the last 5 1/2 years, especially as I finally reached the point where I blog nearly every day.
2. I am grateful for the people who take the time to read, like or follow my blog. Without you, I’d just be one more person talking to herself.
3. I am grateful for the opportunity to boost my readership again, before I actually launch that website!
4. I am grateful for the healthy routines I’ve been resurrecting lately, and grateful that they will inspire me to reach even higher.
5. I am grateful for abundance: health, motivation, inspiration, imagination, love, harmony, peace, health and prosperity.

Namaste