There has been numerous times over the years that I have been told by family, friends, significant others, colleagues, clients, students, etc, "You should write a book". I've always assumed that they were making conversation as a way of telling me they enjoyed the story I had just related. Surely my life couldn't have been any more exciting than theirs. But I’ve always had a deep fascination for other people’s stories, so maybe they did too, and maybe they were sharing that fascination with me.

When I was recovering from breast cancer, visitors would relate to me their trials and tribulations of their day. One friend went on and on about the traffic jam she had encountered and another friend was very upset over having major car problems. I remember another visitor friend who was totally distraught over her teenager who was impossible to discipline. But mostly I remember the one overwhelming thought I had as I sat listening to their stories. How could they be so upset over these minor issues? I’m battling breast cancer and what could possibly be more serious than that.

During my many months of recovery I had plenty of time to think about my life and its probable end that I feared would be much sooner than later. At some stage, I realized everyone has a story, each with its uniqueness and each had some fascination others found compelling.

It wasn't until the age of sixty-four that I decided my story was worthy of a book. Never having written a book before, I decided that I'd start small and only focus on my life from the time I met Gary Godfrey. Interesting as my life had been before we met, his entry into my existence began my most profound and defining moments. Thankfully I learned a lot about life and relationships before we met. Surely my experiences with Gary would have been quite different had I not paid attention to those valuable life lessons.

And so, I offer From Hurricane Katrina to the Middle East: A True Love Story...With Life Lessons Learned.