Chapter II

Despite the hecticness at work and the myriad of volunteer commitments, I've managed to take this week and focus on slowing down. And I've succeeded in creating a calm. Tomorrow I turn 50. And I've promised myself (and now many, many others who will hold me accountable) that I'm going to lose all the weight I've gained in the past 10 years. And this peace-of-mind that I've worked all week to achieve is helping me to ease into weight loss and the reality that if it took me 10 years to put on, it will take some time to come off. I vow to not only get myself healthier physically, but to grow mentally and spiritually. Yes, I've reached the ripe and mature age of 50, but I still think I have long strides to make in becoming a better person. Why not now. And Harleigh going off to college has been a huge encouragement to make this change in my personal life. I see her, where she is now spiritually and socially and I wish I had reached that stage earlier in life. I think it would have made a difference in the decisions I made. So, why can't a middle-aged woman look to an 18-year-old and know that as much as she's shaping her daughter, her daughter can shape her. Welcome, 50, with open arms.