Table of Contents
Introduction Claire Cook xi
1 Do It Now
1 Must Love Midlife Claire Cook 1
2 Conquering the Giant of Provence Dawn A. Marcus 6
3 Life Launch Kristi Paxton 10
4 Following My Nephews Dream David Cranmer 14
5 A Risky Jump Sioux Roslawski 18
6 Winters of Solace Heather Zuber-Harshman 21
7 Just in Time P. Avice Carr 25
8 The Dry Truth Kathy Whinty 28
9 A Family Reunion Peter W. Wood 31
2 Follow Your Heart
10 Run for Your Life Dean Karnazes 39
11 Finding "Perfect Love" Shari Hall 44
12 Mobilized by Fear Andrew E. Kaufman 49
13 Time of Possession James C. Magruder 53
14 Happiness Is a Big Loud Garbage Truck Roz Warren 57
15 Movie Critic, MD Tanya Eeke 60
16 Becoming Real Amy L. Stout 64
17 A New Operating System Sabrina Zackery 67
18 Self-Discovery Val Jones 70
19 There Are Writers in There Shawnelle Eliasen 73
3 Take a Chance
20 A Real Stretch Rebecca Olker 81
21 From Corporate to Carrots Kamia Taylor 85
22 365 Envelopes Karen Martin 88
23 Jumping Fences Arlene Ledbetter 92
24 Laying Myself Off Sharron Carrns 96
25 The Life of the Party Giulietta Nardone 99
26 Safely Stuck in a Rut Tanya Rusheon 103
27 The Tuesday Night Ladies League Pat Wahler 106
28 Moments of Clarity Erin Latimer 109
29 Moving to Hong Kong MaryLou Driedger 112
30 Running Away to Join the Circus Denise Reich 115
4 Find Your Purpose
31 What's Your Story? Amy Newmark 121
32 Making a Difference Lisa Morris 124
33 Finding My Happiness Brenda Lazzaro Yoder 128
34 A Happiness Throttle Alii Page 130
35 Lost and Found Marijo Herndon 133
36 Restaurant Epiphany Robert J. Brake 136
37 Family of Rejects Sylvia Ney 139
38 The Confidence to Change Angela Ogburn 143
39 Unexpected Changes Jane Lonnqvist 147
40 Express Yourself Jan Bono 151
5 Start Over
41 A New Model Jennifer Sky 157
42 A Long Walk Christopher Clark 161
43 I Should Thank Him Heather Ray 165
44 The Adventure of Starting Over Patricia Lorenz 168
45 Rewriting My Story Deborah K. Wood 172
46 Finding Me at Fifty Liz Maxwell Forbes 175
47 The Power of Positive Pigheadedness Lynn Kinnaman 178
48 Doors Wide Open Jennifer Chauhan 181
49 Never Too Old Kay Thomann 185
50 Laid Off and Living the Dream Sean Marshall 188
51 Meeting Mom Katherine Higgs-Coulthard 190
6 Mind Your Health
52 Who Would Have Thought? Esther Clark 197
53 Back in the Saddle Again Jennie Ivey 200
54 No Smoking Elizabeth Smayda 204
55 A Kick in the Keister B.J. Taylor 208
56 Made to Order? Marsha Porter 212
57 Running for My Life Melissa Face 216
58 My Big Wake-Up Call Lori Lara 219
59 The Comeback Brian Teason 221
60 How I Became a Muddy Girl Maggi Normile 225
7 Overcome Adversity
61 From Homeless to Happy Kamia Taylor 231
62 Jersey Shore Promises Theresa Sanders 235
63 The Cafe de l'Espérance Oierie Magnus 239
64 Finding Hope after Despair Debra Wallace Forman 243
65 The Joy I Choose to See Janet Perez Eckles 246
66 Mirror, Mirror Sara Etgen-Baker 250
67 Life Reignited Jessie Wagoner 253
68 A Long Hard Fight Jeanette Rubin 256
69 Two Sisters Ami Michener Winter 259
8 Listen to Your Friends
70 The Year of Exploration Nicole K. Ross 267
71 How Running Helped Me Heal Kristin Julie Viola 271
72 A Journey of a Lifetime Stacy Ross 274
73 What Would You Do? Jaime Schreiner 278
74 Starting All Over Jay H. Berman 280
75 Gratitude, Schmatitude Susan A. Karas 283
76 I Think I Can Tyler Stocks 287
77 Dear Daddy Paul Bowling II 290
78 Nose to the Wall Garrett Bauman 293
9 Take Time for You
79 Doing Nothing Perfectly Ferida Wolff 301
80 Annual Reboot Connie Rosser Riddle 303
81 Awakened by the Creator Within Christine Burke 306
82 My Writing Roller Coaster Lisa McManus Lange 309
83 Clean Start Ram Bailes 312
84 One Year of Celibacy Shannon Kaiser 315
85 Back to School Angela Joseph 317
86 A Happy Heart Jerri Elders 320
87 Second Chance J.C. Andrew 324
88 Dancing with a Cane on My Head Sue Mannering 328
10 Adjust Your Attitude
89 Eight Thousand Miles Carol Strazer 335
90 Forgiveness and Freedom Nancy Julien Kopp 338
91 Steady the Course Eloise Elaine Ernst Schneider 341
92 The Bedtime Ritual that Changed My Life Dallas Woodburn 344
93 Best Day Ever Dorann Weber 348
94 Picture This Carol Ayer 351
95 All Things New Kathleen Kohler 355
96 The Relationship Dance Chris Jahrman 359
97 Just Drive Warrior Diana Lynn 362
98 Pickles Fallon Kane 364
99 My Perfect Imperfect Life Marilyn Boone 366
100 The Stay-at-Home Mom L.A. Strucke 368
101 Thriving Lynn Dove 372
Afterword Amy Newmark 375
Meet Our Contributors 377
Meet Our Authors 394
Thank You 396
About Chicken Soup for the Soul 397