I attended the play Intimate Apparel at the McCarter Theater, Princeton, NJ. The play takes place in 1905, and is a story of a young single African American seamstress who supports herself by creating lingerie for wealthy Manhattan clients. It tells of how one woman discovers her own empowerment and the true meaning of intimacy.

While watching the play, I was thinking about the years I was in my early twenties. My sole mission in life was to be married and have children. I was married at 21 years of age, and had two children by the time I was 26 years old. My days were filled with taking care of my daughters, cleaning the house and associating with friends and neighbors. If you had asked me what my life was like in the 1970’s, I would have had to figure out how old my daughters were in order to answer you. My life was so wrapped up in my husband and children, I had no identity.

In the early 1980’s, I realized there was more to life than taking care of my home and meeting friends for lunch. My small world started opening up, and I discovered a person who had many passions and gifts that she wanted to share with the world.

I am still on that journey. Today I have a life fulfilling my passions and making differences in the lives of others.

Take some time today to sit down and think about your life’s journey, to date. What are your proudest moments, what lessons have you learned and what dreams do you have for the future? After you have done this, write yourself a letter describing these special events. In the comment section below, shout out your praises and let us know your accomplishments.

Please help build this community by sharing your experiences, asking questions and suggesting topics you would like to discuss in the future. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Please either leave your comments below, or send me an email at helen@helenburton.net.

Warmly, Helen