Happy New Year!

I have decided to pick a mantra for 2016. I was on a trip this past summer in Washington D.C. and I just had to take this little wall hanging home with me. It says "Every Great Dream Begins With A Dreamer Always remember, you have the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world" Harriet Tubman. What an optimistic thing to say if you see who wrote it. Harriet Tubman an Africa-American who fought against slavery during the American Civil War and was even a Union spy. That is all fine and dandy. So how does that affect me? I think about the courage even from the beginning she was born into slavery. I guess you could say that I too was born into something I often wish I had not been born with a bipolar manic depressive gene. Both Harriet Tubman and I had to over come great obstacles in life. I think about that as I look back at graduating Drake University. She experienced so much discrimination because of her class and skin color. I too have also experience discrimination, but it is of a different kind. People judged her by her skin color. People have judged me on something they could not see or understand Bipolar Manic Depression. It has not been an easy ride these past 39 years. Still I have learned to be optimistic throughout the years. If you are struggling with a mental illness or some kind of trial hang on Annie sings it best "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow".

It's out!

My book has been out one week. It has been a time of complete anxiety and excitement. The thoughts of "oh Crap" what have I done sacrificing myself on paper for the entire world to read. Thoughts like what was I thinking fill my head. Today I was privileged to meet a young man at a coffee shop. A friend was doing a book signing. He over heard me talking about my book. We shared our brief stories. It is for people just like him that I wrote the story. If it inspires him and gives him hope then all this sacrifice of sharing my story has paid off. Everyone says "You are so brave" to write the book. I suppose I am. One quote comes to mind again and again "My wish is that one day we won't have to call it brave for talking openly about mental illness. We'll simply call it talking". thisismybrave.org

More to follow next weekend.

My book will be published next week!

My baby is almost born. I am just shy of 40. I will pass on the real baby part. My book is my baby. Just got an email from the publisher. The FINAL proof is going to be coming soon! I am still in shock. Flashback to just 4 years ago when I began to write my book. I really did not want to. Who really wants to write down every detail of their lives for the whole world to see in a memoir? Honestly, I never thought it would get published. Four years ago, I couldn't even call myself a writer. Through time and taking a class on how to write a memoir, I discovered I really could. The whole process has been one blessing after another. I have learned that with God all things are possible.