Table of Contents
Introduction 1
1 From Victim to Victory
1 No Food for Alligators Cindy Charlton 7
2 Rescuing Myself Margaret Nava 11
3 Jane Doe No More Donna Palomba 14
4 The Return of My Son Tammy Ruggles 18
5 Making the Change Elaine Cartwright 22
6 Abandoning Anger Karen R. Hessen 24
7 Learning to Fly Lorraine Cannistra 28
8 New Vision Tope Songonuga 31
9 All's Well That… You Know Jayne Thurber-Smith 34
10 From Abandoned to Attorney Jill Haymaker 36
2 From Rat Race to Relationships
11 We Make Our Own Choices Donald Quinn Dillon 43
12 The Gift of Limitations Marijo Herndon 47
13 Riding Out the Storm Mimi Greenwood Knight 50
14 Those Were the Days Nancy B. Gibbs 53
15 The Gift of a Lifetime Greg Woodburn 55
16 Changing Gears Maryanne Curran 59
17 Rattled Jo Eager 61
18 Working for Peanuts Sally Anne L. Ness 65
19 Press Start Renee Beauregard Lute 69
3 From Pausing to Pursuing
20 Who Would Have Thought? Max Elliot Anderson 75
21 A Year to Live Esther McNeil Griffin 79
22 Rediscovering Love and Balance Dallas Woodburn 81
23 Arising from the Ashes W. Bradford Swift 85
24 Target Practice M. Binion 88
25 The Side Effects of Cancer Florence Strang 90
26 The Phone Call Mary Hansen 93
27 Second Chances Connie K. Pombo 96
28 Overall Attire Jeanne Blandford 100
29 Failing Up Rebecca Hill 104
4 From Adversity to Acceptance
30 The Truth that Healed Me Rita Hancock 111
31 Breaking Bald Alicia Bertine 115
32 A Lifetime of Stuttering Jody Fuller 119
33 Why Me? Marcia Rudoff 122
34 My New Job Margaret Luebs 125
35 The Negative Positive Miranda P. Koerner 129
36 Fighting Back Debbie Acklin 133
37 Teamwork Judith Fitzsimmons 136
38 The Fruitful Life Marilyn Zapata 139
39 Adventures in Staying Ann Kronwald 142
40 Death Benefits Robert J. Brake 146
5 From Problem to Purpose
41 Big Dreams Jennifer Arnold 153
42 Lost and Lonely Stacey Ritz 157
43 Frequent Survivor Tom Lagana 160
44 Public Assistance Nancy Gilliam 165
45 Growth Through Giving Kessie Kaltsounis 168
46 Zeal for Teal Glynis M. Belec 171
47 Fire, Fire, Fire Karen Ekstrom 174
48 A Dance with Destiny Christopher Charles McDaniel 178
49 Stewie to the Rescue Harris Bloom 181
50 Going to Full Lengths Linda Lohman 185
51 The Adventures of a Middle-Aged College Student Paul George 188
6 From Sickness to Success
52 I Own It Kate White 195
53 A Joyful Life Gloria Hander Lyons 199
54 Heart Surgery Ken Freebairn 202
55 Your Marriage Is Killing You Tina O'Reilly 205
56 The Unwanted Guest Loretta Schoen 208
57 Broken Heart Lisa M. Wolfe 212
58 The Choice Amy E. Zajac 214
59 One Tough Chick Emily Raymond 218
60 The Hat Elynne Chaplik-Aleskow 222
7 From Heartbreak to Healing
61 Wisdom at the Water's Edge Barbara A. Davey 229
62 Refurbished Me Melissa Wootan 234
63 A Boulder in My Path Joelle Jarvis 238
64 Let It Go Diane Stark 241
65 Taking Life Back Jess Forte 244
66 Hello, My Name Is Claire and I'm an Alcoholic Claire Fullerton 247
67 Loving Liam Mary Hickey 250
68 Getting My Bling Back Linda C. Defew 255
69 An Unexpected Blessing Julie Cole 259
70 No Longer the Ugly Stepmother Deb Haggerty 262
71 Two Again Ruth Smith 267
72 Simple Words Carol E. Ayer 270
8 From Bleak to Blessings
73 Love Lids Susan Fan Fahncke 275
74 Embracing My Life Just the Way It Is A.M. Miller 280
75 A Turkey of a Thanksgiving A.J. Cattapan 284
76 There All Along D'ette Corona 288
77 My Rocky Road to Menopause Kay Thomann 290
78 Joy in Service Nicole Hone Webster 293
79 Hope from the Ashes Susan Lugli 295
80 My Father's Gifts Harriet Cooper 298
81 Family Ties Nancy Peacock 302
82 Already Blessed William Hogg 306
83 Push in the Write Direction Teresa Ambord 309
84 A Mom's Blessing Maureen T. Cotter 312
9 From Apprehension to Appreciation
85 The Truck Olivia Mitchell 319
86 The Right Move Rita Bosel 321
87 Just for You, Teacher Carolyn Bennett Fraiser 325
88 Sudden Clarity Briony Jenkins 329
89 Beth's Prom Deana J. Scott 332
90 Positive Maitland Mullen 336
91 From Worker to Owner Caroline Sealey 339
92 Rebuilding Robyn Rae Ireland 342
93 The Bonus Child Jewell Johnson 346
94 Hidden Treasure Finder Lyme Leite 349
10 From Fear to Faith
95 Two Sides of the Coin Bernadette Fleming 357
96 Remembering My Passion Stephanie Welcher Thompson 359
97 Four Weeks Without Pay Carol Goodman Heizer 364
98 The Spider that Saved My Life Melanie Adams Hardy 368
99 Victorious Val Vallory Jones 371
100 Sticking Together Arlene Rains Graber 374
101 The Buck Stops Here Minister Mary Edwards 377
Meet Our Contributors 383
Meet Our Authors 400
Thank You 402
About Chicken Soup for the Soul 403
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