Welcome! I am delighted that you are here as I have much to share with you!
I’m Suzi. I am a soul searcher, a gypsy wanderer, and a forever optimist. Oh…and… an overuser of ellipses (teehee). My journey has felt treacherous at times and yet I am still here. I am forever grateful to my daughters and friends who love me and accept me for who I am. They have kept me sane. I currently reside in Napa, California. I’ve lived here for most of the past seven years but… that can change at any moment. Sigh and smile. I hope if you are reading this, that you will find something that will lift you up if you need lifting, something that will make you laugh if you need some laughter or something that will encourage you if you need some encouragement.
This site is a result of decades of daily journaling, writing short essays, and life experiences in general. I have lived a crazy life. I have cried tears of joy and tears of pain. I have hurt people and I have been hurt by people. I have loved deeply and suffered the loss of love. Through the years I have searched for my “purpose” in this life. I have cried out to know why I am here on this earth, at this time. I’ve read hundreds of self-help books and listened to a plethora of preachers and teachers, never feeling like I fully received the answers. For many years I tormented myself trying to be perfect. The perfect daughter, student, wife, mother, boss, and friend. I failed miserably. I even snapped and set out on my own to try to figure it out. These past 15 years have been some of the hardest. They have been lonely and exhausting. I felt like my whole world was about to end, I held on another year, then another month, then another week, then another few days. I held out trusting GUS…my endearing name for God…that the answers would finally arrive. That somewhere in this messy life I have created, I would find peace. That the darkness would turn into dawn. And then, the idea to start this blog to share my writings with those who might take comfort in them came to me. It came in that subtle still small unexplainable voice sort of way.
I’ve had this domain name Authenticity Abounds for over 10 years. I remember where I was, at lunch with a friend when the idea came to me. I bought it not knowing when or even if I would ever use it. I’ve held onto and paid to keep it all of these years. Every year, when it would come up for renewal, I would think about not renewing, and something in me said to keep it. So, here it is. Here I am. I am here to share my journey and stories with you.
If you would like to receive my new posts as they are published, please sign up to be on my mailing list. And, If any of these posts or stories have encouraged you in any way, please let me know. I would love to get to know you.
With much love,
Suzi