Kelli

I can love unconditionally as long as I retire superiority.
I found my highest high one summer in Nigeria.
I believe in supporting my fellow artists.
My ideas grow much faster than my rate of motivation.
I'm pretty sure I caught the tooth fairy putting $1 under my pillow when I was younger.

Kelli, age 31

James

I left my hometown on a whim, with a little over $300 cash and a car with a failing transmission.
I played hacky-sack outside "the" Quick Stop with total strangers.
I've danced at festival until the sun came up.  Then I danced some more.
I've written over a hundred poems, and participated in open mics.
I've been left breathless with gratitude at the beauty of the universe.

James, age 23 

Connie

Fell in love at first sight, have been married to him for 35 years.

Swam with giant sea turtles in Hawaii.

Watched both parents die of cancer in the same year.

Raised two little girls into competent women.

Became and artist Jack of all Trades from illustrating for children, to painting giant religious icons to being a sketch artist for Federal court.

Connie, age 56

Adrienne

Ran away from home with a singer in a band.

Survived the suicide of my lover.

Became a mother.

Taught myself to play the piano.

Let go of all my jealousy.

Adrienne, age 33  

Ashley

I ran away at age 11.

I spent 5 years in hospitals for cutting myself.

I slept in Golden Gate park for two months.

I got married and had two kids.

I survived just to fail again.

Ashley, age 23

Kayla

Married my soul mate.

Was lifted 3 feet off the ground by a giraffe at a petting zoo by the hair on my head.

Rescued a baby opossum from the road after witnessing its mom being hit by a car.

Was featured in the local newspaper for being the winner of a trashcan painting contest, but the newspaper spelled my name wrong.

Started my own successful business at the age of 21.

Kayla, age 23

Robyn

Held free raffles, and called every single person to tell them if they won or if they lost.
Lived without electricity, plumbing, and refrigeration for months in the jungle.
Said yes to marriage after a week. (and still am)
Planted my child's placenta in a vortex.
Sent my toenails overseas.

Robyn 30

Chaya

Survived my childhood and learned to love.

Created and sustained my own business for over 20 years.

Remembered and kept current my Mother’s spaghetti sauce.

Became mother to an amazing daughter when she was 10 years old.

Had the courage to leave my then current life for a life more suitable to who I want to be. 

Chaya, age 62

Sarah

I've given birth to a 9 lb baby boy.
I've slept in cars and painted murals.
I've chained myself to a tree to save a forest.
I have jumped in the mosh pit of love and been fully shaken. 
I can cook a great baked ziti and grandma's potato soup.

Sarah, age 32  

Jerri

I successfully hatched several "endangered" desert tortoises.
I rescued a bird, caught, tangled in a pond.
I drew a picture, as I watched water dripping down a shower door...the water-dripping image, looks like an elephant-woman.
I wrote, at 15 years, an automatic writing piece on "Astral Projection."
I complemented silversmith, Wolfe O'Meara, on his embroidered shirt he was wearing, while in Bisbee, AZ, and Wolfe took the shirt off and gave it to me.

Jerri, age 48  

Gabrielle

Smoked a blunt with half of Wu-Tang Clan.
Had a job that sucked my soul out of my nose.
Prolonged pleasure and taken pain.
Vocally blamed my parents for giving me a genetic chronic illness.
Made something that I think is wonderful.

Gabrielle, age 23

Annette

Auditioned for the NYC ballet company's summer production of the Nutcracker.
Became a licensed RN.
Brought two beautiful beings into this world.
Unleashed the passionate artist inside of me.
Tasted the sweet sunshine upon my lips on a dark cloudy day.

Annette, age 39

Kathy

I stood on the top of the St. Louis Arch.
I gave birth to 3 beautiful sons.
I moved my family to Germany and back to Florida.
I watched a hurricane go by my front porch.
I watched my mother die.

Kathy, age 42

Rita

Met Patch Adams.
Taught a blind person to throw pottery on the wheel.
Moved a couch for the band "Guster".
Been in a viral video.
Helped make a painting that Justin Beiber purchased.

Rita, age 24

MaryJo

I wondered at the babe in my arms.

I worked my hands in dirt and marble dust.

I watched the rain become a river.

I drank in the deep dark.

I never had a dull moment.

MaryJo, age 59

David

Became an Eagle Scout.
Graduated from college with Dyslexia.
Had a 14 wheel tracker trailer run over me while on bicycle at 39.
Adopted a dog that was run over by a car and lost a leg.
Wrote a novel about it all 'One Breath At a Time' on amazon.com

David, age 44

RoByn

I found my true love.

I danced naked on the beach.

I faced the void.

I beat cancer.

I became unafraid to love.

RoByn, age 49

Constance

I had my portrait painted.
I applied unsuccessfully for a bra-modeling job.
I applied successfully for a messenger job.
I was the solo singer in a rock concert on a temporary stage at the NYC Port Authority bus terminal.
I took clown classes.

Constance, age 67

Janice

Raised two fabulous daughters.
Loved too many men.
Felt trapped in Manhattan on September 11.
Gave as much as I could.
Wrote a prize winning poem.

Janice age 66

Ash

I have walked barefoot on burning hot coals at a seminar.

I spent a night out dancing with Jonah Hill and Ben Stiller in Atlanta.

I escaped from a Viper racing car that burst into flames after hitting 147mph.

I sat in on a live recording of the Adam Carolla podcast in Los Angeles.

I was featured on an NBC Reality Show called Escape Routes.

Ash, age 28

George

I have hiked to the bottom of the grand canyon and back up in the same day.

I was in downtown Chicago when Barack Obama won the presidential election in 2008.

I've watched over a thousand different bands produce tons of live music in many different genres! in so many different venues! ah, my ears.

I've lived with many different people from many different walks of life and have held many different kinds of jobs.

I have played interpretive guitar to a beautiful dancer's interpretive dance of someone conducting them with hand signals during a performance.

George, age 36

Sarah

I have hurt someone.

I have loved someone.

I have been afraid.

I have lied while telling the truth.

I have ran naked through a hurricane.

Sarah 

Adamandia

I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night and saw the sparkling lights of Paris.
Walked along a beach and found a dark red stone shaped like a heart as the waves touched the shore.
I have been collecting lost bicycle pedal reflectors for years.
I drew a picture of a fish and then embroidered it.
I counted 13 yellow cars, not one of them a taxi, in one morning.

Adamandia, age 47

Tamara

I performed the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.

I sliced and fried peaches and plums in a cast-iron skillet.

I took photos of three wild iguanas.

I laughed until I peed in my pants.

I made a print of my hand.

Tamara

Rehema

I put myself through college and grad school and received degrees in Art History.
I drove by myself from Connecticut to Missouri and back again.
I spent two weeks in Japan and fell in love with the country.
I've had several careers in my life working as a student loan officer, art teacher, curator,administrative assistant, writer, professor and arts administrator.
AND
After years and years of doubting my place in this universe, I became a believer.

Rehema, age 36

Rachelle

Watched my sister take her first breath.

Masturbated with an Isreali cucumber and then ate it.

Shared tea with the US Ambassador to India.

Ran away from a falling World Trade Center Tower.

Kissed my mother goodbye.

Rachelle, age 41

Bibiana

I have stayed true to myself.

I have said I'm allergic to things I simply dislike.

I have had a baby after being told I would never be able to.

I have apologized when I hurt people.

I have said I love you only to the ones I do.

Bibiana, age 38 

Maria

I traveled around Europe by train alone.

I traveled as a sailor to Corsica.

I became an assistant of a famous sculptor.

I became widow.

I picked up my pieces and continued in art.

Maria, age 48

Guido

I made a lot of art.

I learned critical thinking.

I helped many people live creatively.

I enjoyed sex.

I gave up the mind traps of metaphysics.

Guido

John

I looked at a potato chip.
I changed my shorts.
I held a coin.
I dropped my hat.
I named a grain of sand.

John

James

Smoked enough pot to choke a bull.
Saw the green flash.
Exchanged "hullo" with John Lennon on Ibiza 1972.
Caught 2 halibut of over 100 pounds.
Developed an art career.

James, age 61 

ISA

Sculptural idea for building.

Designing a park, compound with artworks.

Eco-friendly sculptures.

Wall branding.

Decorating a home with paintings and drawing.

ISA, age 28

Leni

Ate things from the woods when I was a kid, like sweetgrass, chokecherries, and fox grapes.

Followed my instincts to find my way.

Cried as I said I do.

Let too much time go by without making art.

Connected birth to death as looking the same, at 8 years old.

Leni, age 49

Marybeth

I barely survived my father' death at the age of 22.
I learned how to be a painter in Venice.
I raised a learning disabled son as a single parent.
I fell madly in love with Vladimir. He became homesick, returned to Moscow.
I think, sometimes, that hope is all we have.

Marybeth, age 57

Tracy

I went from hairdressing to a double degree in Criminology and Religious Studies.

I explained to my mother the difference between Religious Studies and Theology.

I got a tattooed by a meth head at a Motorcycle Club.

I watched Dad die of cancer, and watched Mum kick cancer's ass.

I have read the Qu'ran, The Bible, the Mahaparinirvana Sutra and working on the book of Mormon - all just for fun.

Tracy

Emily

First and only person in my family to finish high school, I now have higher degrees earned on 3 continents.

I both lived and worked in a zoo, fortunately not as an exhibit.

I got an intimate piercing.

I became fluent in Mandarin by living in Taiwan for many years.

I gave a really good black eye to someone who needed it.

Emily, age 33

Jessica

I had heart surgery.
I have performed in parades.
I have been licked by a cow.
I have cried every night for a year.
I fell in love.

Jessica, age 30

Grace

I've showed up.
I've listened.
I've loved women.
I've loved men.
I've loved someone in-between.

Grace, age 30 

Deborah

Had a miscarriage when 2 months along.

Sang jazz professionally.

Learned conversational Italian.

Graduated from Baking and Pastry school.

Took 3 1/2 years to read a book about ethnobotanists because I did not want it to end.

Deborah Lee, age 60

Jamie

I was young and wild.
Married my true love
Laughed with my children.
I found Jesus.
I see miracles everyday.

Jamie, age 35

Julie

Traveled across the country.
Touched a piece of the Titanic.
Captured LIFE.
Saved a LIFE.
Gave LIFE.

Julie, age 42 

Cindy

Looked at Mt. Washington as my Conquest then became afraid of heights.
Began  referencing my age after 50 by using 1/2 & 3/4.
Delivered the message of kindness and generosity while raising 3 wonderful children.
Offered the world hope with the birth of each grandchild.
Opened an Art Studio.

Cindy, age 52

Seth

Reinvented my life while living alone at age 19.

Wrote a screenplay that got into a festival at age 19.

Had a short film get into a film festival.

Became the youngest media designer in town.

Lived, and am still living, life by my own rules.

Seth, age 22

Chris

Dropped out of art school.
Became a drug addict/alcoholic.
Engaged in years of inflicting pain and misery on the ones who love me.
Eventually got sober.
Found purpose in living.

Chris, age 37

Antonio

I got my college degree in Fine Arts in 2010, fulfilling a childhood dream.
I went to Paris to learn from and soak up museum culture and visit French castles, all paid by my patrons.
I have site on facebook: antonio imaginarium, in English, without knowing how to speak or write English.
They say that I am a great artist, but I am completely unknown.
I spend all day every day painting.  Painting is my life.

Antonio, age 58

(Antonio's list was translated from Portuguese with an free online translation site so I'm hoping for the best here.) 

Cynthia

I lost my Dad when I was 8 years old.
I lost the rest of my family at 17 when I told my mother her boyfriend had abused me.
I married my soul mate at 19 & had two beautiful babies.
I found Grace.
I forgave my mother.

Cynthia, age 47 

Therese

Gave birth to 4 great boys.
Broke the chain of abuse.
Disowned my parents.
Stayed in my marriage.
Learned to love myself.

Therese, age 53

Pam

I "survived" losing my only sister to murder and wonder how my parents did.
I raced cars in my 20's and 30's, and once when I was 5 months pregnant at age 34.
I asked for forgiveness for an unforgivable sin, and got it.
I went back to school at 42 and earned two degrees while working two jobs and raising two children.
I do good deeds in secret.

Pam, age 58  

Brooke

I spent summers in front of the Red Roof on Long Sands Beach.
By age 29 I had stepped foot on 6 continents.
My career spawned from my love of learning and children.
I painfully watched my mom fight ovarian cancer for 2.5 years.
I am so blessed and grateful to have an enormous loving family!

Brooke, age 31

Wanda

I raised a son as a single parent.
I learned how to downhill ski at 50.
I've hiked up 10,000 ft peaks and camped in the back country by myself.
I've seen cougars, bears (grizzly, black & cinnamon), wolves and elk in the wild.
I keep moving through life with joy -- painting and writing.

Wanda, age 60