New Beginnings (approx. 3-3 ½ minute read)

Hello, everyone! I know, I know it’s been a while, but you’re not going to believe what has been going on in my life since I did my book interview for “Daily Wisdom Words,” August 8, 2021 (aired on August 14, 2022). I’ve been on such an incredible high that I can barely contain my happiness…and I would have told you all sooner, but I was afraid that if I talked about it, I might jynx it.

S0, are you ready to hear my life changing news? Drum roll please and make it loud…

MY OLDEST DAUGHTER REACHED OUT TO ME!!!

Isn’t that awesome?! There is hope for all of us, my fellow warriors, because as you know, my family stopped talking to me ages ago, but her reaching out after such a long time, meant that at least one of them no longer believed the lies they had been told by my parents.

The text came through just after I had just finished my interview with Maureen O’Dea and Neel Trivedi and I was feeling stronger than I had since my PTSD diagnosis, almost 17 years ago. During my interview they asked me if I felt like I was in a good place and I told them that I felt stronger than I had ever felt before and it was true. In that moment, I believed that if any of the people I’d distanced myself from came back into my life, I’d be able to converse with them. I knew that writing my book and sharing my story had helped me to become strong enough that I would never back down that particular rabbit hole – ever again.

As a result, I was sitting in our living room having a glass of champagne with my husband, Gary, feeling quite confident. We were discussing the questions Neel, and Maureen asked me, as well as how I had answered them, when my phone went off. I picked it up to look at who had sent me a text when I saw that it was a text from my daughter. I turned to Gary and told him who it was and he said, “What?” I repeated what I had said, and then my hands started to shake. I had tried to reach out to her, as well as my youngest daughter with cards, texts and phone calls for over 3 years, but this was the first contact from either of them and I was nervous to read what it said.

As I scanned the message, I started to cry – not sad tears, but happy tears, because she said that she missed Gary and I and that she didn’t know where our relationship was going to go, but she was no longer going to let other people dictate who she allowed in her life, especially me. I immediately texted her back, and within an hour, we were talking on the phone, getting caught up. We sent each other pictures and before we knew it, we were planning a trip back to Ontario to see them.

Fast forward to today and life is better than I ever thought it would turn out. Gary and I have been back and forth to Ontario a few times and my daughter and her family have been to visit us once. Tomorrow they are arriving for their second visit and here is where I need a second drum roll…

They are moving here! They sold their house and they are using their holidays to meet with some builders, because they’re moving on to our property the beginning of August (2022). We have a small hobby farm and we believe we can make a sustainable life here, together.

Stay safe and stay strong. Thanks for following.

P.S. Stay tuned to hear about how my younger brother reached out to me as well and how he will also be part of my family again, because him and his girlfriend purchased a property 13 minutes away, so that he “could be closer to his big sister.”