On the Write Path to Me & Free is my story. It starts with me as a young girl, and as part of a large family, growing up in a chaotic, abusive home, in a small Oregon coastal town. When I was 15 years old I realized my only escape from the oppressed environment was for me to figure out. After years of saving money, I'd earned as a waitress, I moved to Portland. There, I went to school, married my childhood sweetheart, started my own family, and never looked back. And yet, we always look back. It's only when we learn to truly see does a real Self-discovery begin...
This book reveals my unstoppable, tireless optimism and courage. I now see a woman who navigated roadblocks, overcame disappointments over and over in my life. These setbacks included ending a 43-year marriage to an alcoholic abusive husband and navigating many dark months during my son's incarceration. Selected entries are included in my story and derive from years of journal-keeping. Reflections illuminate how I faced fears and challenges by staying true to my Self and ultimately following my North Star purpose: writing a book that took decades to birth. The creation of this book allowed me to see my Self in my own story. The path, the one that kept me writing, helped build my confidence over time, and paved the way to see my Self as a writer-a confident writer, in fact, with Self discoveries to be shared along the way.
This book was written to fulfill a dream I'd held for years. Through this unique expressive communication I'd developed, I learned to see my Self in the process. My hope is that by sharing my stories of loss and grief, doubts and struggles, disappointments and small victories, I will empower others who feel stuck. If you're unable to see yourself in your own story, I encourage you to never give up on searching or reaching for your own North Star.
