Charmed, I'm sure.

My name is Traci, and I am 38 years old.

Like all of you, I have many titles: mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, retiree, veteran, officer, writer, artist, lover, etc. These titles define our lives. I have been ill my entire life, but in 2013, I became nearly bed-ridden. After retiring on disability, I survived by living moment to moment. Looking ahead was terrifying, because all I could see was pain. It made me feel hopeless and worthless. I became an expert at compartmentalizing. I excelled at distraction. These were a few of the strategies I used to get through the worst of my illness.

We all have strategies for coping with the things life throws at us. As parents, we use strategies to raise kids. Couples find ways to stay connected. I collect strategies for life. I have two teenage boys, 14 and 16. Every single day that passes, they are one day closer to adulthood. I dread sending them out into the world ill-prepared. I am constantly trying to help them develop good habits, and I obsess over the things they need to know and what I might be forgetting. I am teaching them Adulting, and it is one of the topics I will be writing about here. I invite you to agree or disagree. A friendly debate can be enriching for everyone.

I have also led a life full of the inexplicable and the unbelievable. Stay tuned to find out what I could possibly be talking about. You will not regret it. You may not even believe it. I have been accused of lying many times, and it doesn’t even hurt my feelings anymore. So here we go…

Salut!

we three.jpg