By the time I turned 80, I mellowed. I’m more reflective about my
life. However, I still have my impish teenage brain, full of fun and
adventure. I’ve always said I’ve lived three life stories:
1. Starting as a teenager I had 7 children in 8 years. I sewed their
clothes, took them on adventures, and loved them full time. Then
my ex-husband didn’t want me anymore, leading me to:
2. Rising from the ash of divorce, I earned two college degrees which
started my career in leading nonprofit agencies such as the United Way.
I created many programs that still exist today, and I am proud of that.
Over time, I thought I could be more helpful by writing and this
is what became my third life story:
3. As an artist and writer I have been able to combine my first two life
stories. My accomplishments might seem impressive, but they don’t
matter that much. The soul of who I am does. I am kind. I am giving.
I love beyond measure. And it’s been with me since I was born. I
value that.
I’m 81, fighting lung cancer (and I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my
life, go figure) which is why being kind is so important to me. Be kind
to ourselves, to others, and to God. The second you are born, you are
one second closer to dying. So what you do today is what matters.
And I do that with a grin.
