BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST BLOG POST, MY INITIAL RESPONSE IS TO WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, SHARE MY LONG-WINDED STORY ABOUT MY LIFE, AND WELCOME YOU HERE. BUT SINCE I WENT FULL THROTTLE ABOUT WHO I AM IN MY ABOUT ME PAGE, I’M GOING TO SAVE YOU FROM HAVING TO READ IT AGAIN AND JUST SIMPLY WELCOME YOU HERE.

NOT ONLY DO I WANT TO WELCOME YOU HERE BUT ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR BEING HERE.

THROUGH MY TEEN YEARS, WRITING AND JOURNALING WAS A PART OF MY EVERYDAY LIFE. IT HELPED ME TO GET SOME OF MY DEEPEST EMOTIONS AND PAINS OUT OF MY HEAD AND ONTO PAPER, SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF ME WHERE I COULD BE FREE OF THE TENSION MANY OF THOSE FEELING BROUGHT INSIDE MY BODY. IT WAS CATHARTIC FOR ME. UNTIL…

I CAME HOME ONE DAY AND MY EX HUSBAND HAD MY JOURNALS OUT ON THE FLOOR, READING COVER TO COVER WHAT WAS NOT HIS TO READ. I WAS ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED, AND NEVER WROTE AGAIN.

SO HERE I AM, LITERALLY 15 YEARS LATER, OPENING MY HEART AGAIN.

THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE, FROM STRUGGLE AND PAIN BEYOND WHAT IS HUMANE TO HAPPINESS AND JOY BEYOND IMAGINATION, AND THE LESSONS IN BETWEEN THESE POLAR OPPOSITE EXPERIENCES ARE WHAT I HOPE CAN BE A GUIDING LIGHT TO YOUR OWN LIFE.

MY GOAL IS TO LAY IT ALL OUT…THE PARTS OF ME I DON’T LIKE ALONG WITH THE PARTS OF ME I EMBRACE. TOO OFTEN WE LOOK AROUND AT PEOPLE AND ONLY SEE THEIR HIGHLIGHT REEL, THEIR GOOD SIDE, THE PARTS OF THEM THEY EMBRACE. WHAT WE RARELY SEE IS THE STRUGGLE, THE CLAWING TOOTH AND NAIL TO GET TO WHERE THEY ARE. I AM CLAWING EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. TRYING TO KEEP MY SHIT TOGETHER, AND I DON’T THINK I AM ALONE.

SO IF YOU WANT TO COME ALONG WITH ME IN THIS JOURNEY, I WILL WELCOME YOU WITH MY ARMS OPEN WIDE. PLEASE COMMENT IF SOMETHING YOU READ HERE RESONATES WITH YOU OR SHARE WITH A FRIEND IF WHAT YOU READ HERE MAKES YOU THINK OF SOMEONE. AND OF COURSE, IF YOU WANT TO CHAT WITH ME, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT!

XOXO,
MICHELE