I never meant to write a book. It just sort of happened. It wasn’t originally meant for anyone else to read. Only me.   

 

I was going through a series of turbulent events with a couple of “catty” women in my life and at thirty-one-years-old, I felt like I was in junior high all over again; only worse.

 

I didn’t think it could get worse.

 

So to keep from losing my mind, I decided to write in my journal. I started to write about my earlier experiences with feral cats. I knew I struggled in junior high, and was picked on somewhat in elementary school, but many more things came out in my writing that I hadn’t thought about in a long, long time.

 

I found myself shaking hands with skeletons I thought had turned to dust, and dancing peacefully with beautiful ghosts. Soon, I realized that someone else might benefit from some of the situations I have been through.

 

I reveal things I never thought I'd share with anyone. Ever. There are situations that I never, ever wanted to think about again. But maybe through my tribulations, someone else can feel a little less alone. 

 

I wish I could have read a memoir about surviving humiliation when I was going through some of my really rough times… and not one written by a celebrity or a doctor, but an ordinary person, like me.

 

This isn’t about abuse or significant survival.

 

This is about retaining your equilibrium when you are ready to fall apart at the seams. This is about how truly distorted your self-perception can become. This is about the wicked games people can play, the importance of clarity, and how valuable laughter truly is.

 

My goal isn’t to linguistically "woo" you with magical words or literary word play. I want to humanize those who may have had similar experiences, but more than anything, I want someone to see how powerful small acts of kindness can be, and how you don’t have to be Gandhi or Mother Theresa to make a difference in this world.

 

Not all my stories are about surviving humiliation. Some are about divorce and parenting, some are about friendship and laughter, and some are even about travel.

 

In a way, I’m grateful for my humbling experiences because now I can offer others some of the insight that I wish I would’ve had years back.I’m quite proud of my resilience, and without biting some of these bullets, I probably wouldn’t be who I am today.

 

I trust there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy reading this book, and may even find it thought provoking and inspirational.