Strength

Last night, I interviewed my guest for my next podcast. Wow. All I can say is wow.

This almost-17 year old girl is one tough cookie. She spent her first 4 years at the hands of a neglectful alcoholic mother in an impoverished Russia during the time of the breakup of the Soviet Union. Her next year was spent in the "care" of another alcoholic-- some abusive old man she had never before met when her mother "gave" her to him when she was 3, promising she'd come back for her (she never did). At 4, she was rescued from the starvation and abuse she suffered under him, and at 5 she was moved into an orphanage. She spent the next 8 years living in that orphanage, sure that she would never be adopted.

Now she's my step-aunt. :-) And she has the most positive outlook on life imaginable, and it truly makes me feel so completely silly for complaining about the things in my life that don't go according to plan. I should have it edited and up by Wednesday-- listen in for lesson in hope, gratitude, and joy. I am humbled and overwhelmed. Truly.