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Special To You

"I would much rather have a man ask why I have no statue, than why I have one." (Marcus Porcius Cato, 234-149 BC)
"The covetous man is ever in want." (Horace, 65-8 BC)
"All is ephemeral -- fame and the famous as well." (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, 121-180)
"The deed is everything, the glory nothing." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832)
"Make yourself necessary to somebody." (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882) 

My husband and I have never prioritized income over life experience. We are unfamiliar with excess, yet consider ourselves to be abundantly rich in the things that matter to us. We chose careers that would allow us complete access to our children and dedication to the family unit, not ones that would necessarily bring us targeted incomes. And we supported one another in areas of personal growth and fulfillment. Success to us has been quality of life, not quantity of wealth.

Early in our marriage, Don and I realized we both had creative aspirations in various fields of interest. In order to nurture one another, to allow the other to continue self-challenge, we needed individual time, free from regular work routines, to delve into these callings. So we alternated supporting one another. Two months out of college, Don headed straight into his first career, becoming the building editor at Sunset Books. He was challenged and satisfied, which meant I drew the first adventure card and took the time I needed to investigate various aspects of the music business in search of my niche.

Ultimately, when my writing and recording projects began depositing sufficient residual checks in our mailbox, Don took a turn, leaving Sunset to pursue another of his goals: designing, manufacturing and distributing home furnishings to stores across the country. One of his most notable and innovative products was "Chair-In-A-Box." Long before Ikea, this was an award-winning wood and canvas armchair that came unassembled in a cardboard carrying case. Don followed his vision through to his fulfillment and returned to writing, adding an originative sidebar -- the creation of Hometips.com, one of the first home-improvement sites on the World Wide Web.

The ensuing months allowed me in-depth time to formulate ideas into a one-woman show consisting of twelve songs, a monologue and hundreds of slides synchronized to the music. After performing this benefit concert several times in the Los Angeles area for World Vision, my body began its slide into MS, and my turn took much longer than expected. Eventually, after regaining my equilibrium, I reconfigured my show into this book and companion CD. Hopefully, it will be Don's turn soon.

A strong sense of identity is paramount when pursuing our dreams. Without it, we continually step aside, making room on the path for everyone else's journey. Undervaluing ourselves and our abilities can be as damaging to our creative balance and to relationships as the opposite extreme.