Christina

I have made many things.
I have loved openly.
I have forgiven people who didn't deserve it.
I have paid my own way through college.
I have had my first art gallery show right out of school.

Christina, age 23

Venita

I fell in love for the first time at the age of 33.

I went natural by giving my hair the big chop.

I started my art program for toddlers.

I'm a pin-up model.

I'm finally comfortable with myself.

Venita, age 35

Paulo

Create a beautiful child.

Have the world view my poetry.

Got married and divorced.

Stayed alive through my late teens to present.

Learned I have more to discover about life.

Paulo, age 38

Erin

Battled a stormy childhood
Escaped in the music of Ben Folds
Conquered my education
Discovered my purpose in life
Found myself.

Erin, age 32

Ashley

Survived never-ending adolescence, mercifully.
Cried uncontrollably reading Kundera.
Worked up the courage to drop out, finally.
Stopped lying to myself about myself.
Booked as many layovers as possible, always.

Ashley, age 26

Shannon

Sailed around Mexico when I was 18 with nothing but $20.
Lived with scorpions and hunted lobster when I was 5
Watched a stranger die.
Slept in a tree.
Paraglided over a mountain.

Shannon, age 30

Larry

Got my Certificate in Draftsmanship and Classical painting.
Won an award from Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation in  2003.
Runeworker.
Got a B.A. in Math and Stats.
Pretty good artist.

Larry, age 49 

Amber

Turned my bath into a tidal wave.

Spent hours doing not very much

Made new years resolutions every year 

Broke those resolutions every year.

Went to art school.

Amber, age 20

Juliet

I grew up in Poland, Ohio, with 3 sisters and 4 brothers.
I quit being Catholic the minute I turned 18 and converted to Judaism at the age of 49.
I raised 4 sons who gave me joy and put me on a pedestal.
I practiced law for 20 years before deciding I’d rather be a writer.
I married the right man, thank God.

Juliet, age 52 

Samantha

Grew up listening to cows moaning in the backyard as I fell asleep.
Fell in love with all of the wrong people (drug addicts, religious fanatic, etc.)
Dropped everything and moved to Paris.
Cut everyone's (including the "right" kind lover) hair in exchange for food.
Stopped wanting to run away.

Samantha, age 20

Georgia

As a child, I could fly.

I once turned a rock into a spaceship.

I grew up and became the mother of women.

Fell in love with a sweet sick boy and never recovered.

Dreamed of being rescued by angels.

Georgia

Janelou

I spent most of my childhood living on an indian reservation.

I enlisted in the Marine Corps, even though I needed a waiver for my short stature.

I raised two beautiful children.

I spent over 20 years in a high tech design career.

At 42, after a near death experience, I went to art school in Mexico to start life over again and finally pursue my real dream as an artist.

Janelou, age 52

Vita

Intending to climb Mt. St. Helen in Washington State 10 years before it erupted, my boyfriend Jeff and I had stepped off the trail to drink juice, when the biggest rock fell down where we had just been walking. Inside activity or melting snow? It happened around noon, in any case too late for snow climbing.....
Followed my dreams about who I wanted to be, at least regarding spouse, occupations, residence. Perseverance helps....Didn't know the meaning of the words VISION and SPIRITUALITY for a long time, although having been living it all along.

Married my first high school boyfriend pro forma in my mid twenties in order to qualify for a 2 room flat without a proper bathroom - in a slum area. After the divorce it coincidentally  qualified him as well to take over his mother's flat, when she moved into a house. Where are you now, Paul?

Injured a leg just before or during visits to Denmark, Holland, Germany, Australia, and Israel. Still had fun and saw lots of things.

Learned the importance of social skills, intuition, and creativity. Get grandchildren if possible...

Vita, age 65