It’s strange to condense yourself into five hundred words or less. Do I focus on facts and figures? Experiences and lessons learned? Hopes and fears? Maybe a taste of everything. I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I have been married a long time to my high school sweetheart (since 1992) and have two grown (hallelujah!) children and two not-grown grands. I have been a Medical Office Manager, a Medical Consultant to hospitals, a middle and high school teacher. Now, I sit at my desk and put words on paper that might, just might, help my readers understand trauma, Bipolar Disorder and a life that goes on anyway.

I do believe we have been given gifts and when we use those gifts, we are closer to peace and contentment. My gift is teaching. I love to learn, and I love to impart what I’ve learned. Whether working with students or adults, my favorite moment has to be the “I get it” or “I can do it now” or “This is truly interesting” look. When I teach, my energy goes through the roof. No matter where life takes me, learning and teaching will be part of who I am and who I want to be.

I also believe we have things we are meant to do. For me that’s writing. I never imagined how important words would become to me. I was raised in a home where emotions were to be hoarded and hidden. Even today, knowing how important it is to hold our emotions with love, I still hate to feel emotion. Emotions scare me. But when I write I can pour it out. I can say things to myself I need to hear. I can cry on the page. I can celebrate on the page. I can wonder and worry, love and hate, piss and moan. When I write and practice the craft, I get to see the “I get it” and “I can do it now” and “This is truly interesting” look in my own reflection.

Someone asked me why I do this – why I blog and work with novice authors, why I write such painful stories. “Because I want to help people.” Even to my own ears that sounded trite and insincere. I do hope what I share is helpful. I hope people don’t feel alone in their pain. I hope I can give people a sense of what it’s like to have a mind that won’t quiet and likes to condemn. I hope I can help aspiring writers write stories that their readers can’t put down. But, truthfully, I do this because it’s what I’m supposed to be doing for this season of my life. I do it because writing and teaching give me peace and contentment.

That’s me in 461 words.