“Life happens,” sometimes we like it, other times, not so much! I never knew taking the Q77 bus to high school each morning would have me dreaming of “that girl!”

Anxiety disorder is tuff! I continue to deal with it everyday. Making the decision to heal from it altered everything and has taught me much. I've learned about me as a person, my personality and character. I've learned about my past, how to live in present day and how I want to live my future. I think the two biggest lessons I've learned have been. One, how to heal myself and two, anxiety disorder is the road to happiness!

Let’s talk about Aretha Franklin, not about her phenomenal voice, but about how her life and spirit touched everyday people. Aretha as a human being, not only an iconic legend.

When my mom introduced my siblings and me to split pea soup back in the early 1970’s. I never imagined it becoming my life-saving food over forty years later!

There are times when our plans simple fail. It’s happened to me off and on throughout my life. One Christmas morning in the early 1970’s. I came up with a brilliant plan. I found out in a very painful way just how flawed it was, sometimes sticking to the plan isn’t a good “plan!”

Elementary school years tend to bring up fun memories. I found it to be one of the best times of my life. As I move towards my senior years. I pull my early childhood school days closer and closer to me.

In doing so. I discovered how an event during that period. Helps me seek to learn much more in present day and to teach whatever I've learned along the way. Of course. Once again. Music was in the background.

There are times when life drives you nuts! It happens to us all. When I've had my fill of present day. I have to get away! 

I want to share with you what I do when life gets to heavy. 

When I look back on my childhood. There are so many events that come to mind. My grandmother and her crazy antics. Memories of running from my dad at "top speed" because I was about to get a spanking of a lifetime.

Then there's that one event that beats them all! My brother Marc and I were always doing things we had no business doing. You know, like that big bag of fireworks my dad brought home one year. We decided to celebrate the fourth of July a month early. The idea I came up with was dumb! I even involved "Silver." The family dog! That dog was a big enough problem on his own. He did not need me involving him in my craziness.

Life, it throws everything imaginable at you. Our entire emotional system is triggered by every event in our life. Good, bad, joyful or tragic it does not matter. The average person has one event in their life that brings out their deepest pain. I've learned. It's how we handle these painful events that shape our lives. I'm fortunate. I've had several painful events!  Grab your Kleenex. The story I'm going to tell you. Is about the first worst day of my life.

In 1972.  "I can see clearly now" by Johnny Nash spoke to me. Being so young. I did not understand the lyrical meaning of the song.

Thirty years later. After "allowing" life to take me down a painful path for over a decade. "I can see clearly now" came on the radio while driving. The emotional effect it had was so overwhelming. I pulled over just to cry! Tears of joy.