Joanie, you sound a lot like me!

I love animals! I grew up riding horses and even went to college and majored in Equine Science. I still have my horse, but only get to ride about once a month. I have 2 kids, 2 dogs, and 2 cats.

I love doing outdoorsy things and sports. I love playing in the mud on an ATV, too! I enjoy pretty much anything that gets me out of the house. My boys both play sports and do cub scouts, and I really like going to all of their events.

Here lately, I've really been enjoying some traveling. It's been a lot of fun, and feels so liberating and empowering to me! I look forward to doing more and getting outside of the country in the future!

Joanie and Pegasus,
After your 2 posts, I had to chime in. I am retired and enjoying life.
I grew up riding horses also. Don't have them anymore and miss them. I like outdoor stuff and I live surrounded by woods on a pond so I have Canadian Geese that nest here in the spring. I hate to admit I feed the Raccoons, but yes I do. I have a cat who gets along with the Raccoons pretty well. I have found the joy of going to the Caribbean in the winter time and getting some sun. This year my 2 grown up boys are going with me. We had no summer to speak of so I can't wait. I save for the trip all year and found a place on the beach really cheap. I don't care about expensive places. I just want sun and water.

i am a spiritual person and have been into my spirituality for around 8 years now. I also do angel card readings. I like playing the guitar and singing. I write my own songs. I like writing poems and stories. I have trained as a counseller in person centred therapy. My life now revolves around my 14 month old daughter Eva Mae. My next goal is to do fostering. Being a mother is the best thing i have ever done. I have taken to mother hood very naturally. I want to give children a home that need one. Over the last 2 years my life has been both heaven and hell all at once. Heaven was getting pregnant something which i did not ever think was going to happen then finally it did. Having my little daughter has been heaven. Her dad created the hell. My world came apart. All that i knew died. I thought our relationship was something else and it turned out to be a fantasy created by him and where i had all my investment in. I waited 13 years for that man. Thats how much i believed him and thats how much i had invested. I was living wiv my parents when i became pregnant. I did not tell my family until i was 7 months. This was because my ex told me they would prob kick me out so i was scared. During this time i was abused very badly. I wanted to kill myself at this time but could not also take my daughters life so i lived to give her life. When my family found out they did everything for me. They supported me fully. They put a roof over my head. Bought everything for the house and for the baby. My ex contributed not one single penny. But he still never once let up and still insisted that he was going to follow throu on his promises. Not once even to this day will he ever let up. He will never admit that he is in a relationship wiv the women he lives wiv and will never leave her. I have been told the opposite of both these things. I moved into my own house one month before my baby was born. I was on my own from the beginning. Not only did i have to raise my baby on my own but this was the first time i had ever run a house hold. I did everything all at once. . . . .I know Ive rambled about my life story but its just that this past two years have become my life. A part of me. Something which will stay wiv me for the rest of my life. I gave everything up in my old life. College. My home that i grew up in. My jobs. On car(got a better one now thou) my dignity. My pride. My relationship as i knew it. So this literally still feels like my new life. I dont even remember who i was. I remember i was always told by people that i was one of the nicest people they had ever met which was also so wonderful to hear. That used to make me feel really proud. I was always very laid back. Very giving. Really easy going. Very loyal. I am still struggling to find myself and my identity to be honest. Wow this has brought tears to my eyes this thread. Didnt expect this thread to make my heart ache. I miss me!

I agree with all of you and have many of the same qualities and values. I am spiritual, not religious. I can find the sunsets to be the best indication of God's love. Just love sunsets!

I find the good in people first

I do not tolerate abuse in my life from anyone, I worked too hard to get to where I am that I won't let another person hurt me. Otherwise it's game over.

I am wonderfully complimentary and mean what I say when I offer compliments.

I have a lot of support to give and I am sincerely compassionate

I just love animals so much even more than some people I have met throughout the years.

Taking a walk really makes me feel better

I love the Blues music too. I attend the concerts here in town.

I am a good friend, at least that what they tell me and I believe it.

Thanks Joanie this post is really inspiring.

Linda :)

beautiful thread.. it's brought tears to my eyes as well..

I'm a writer. I just finished my first novel. I'm in the process of finding a literary agent, getting it published, and then being the next JK Rowlling (Canadian version of it..).

I'm starting my second novel, and have a third composting in the back of my brain.

I love anything to do with the Paranormal, and have been doing investigations in haunted locations for years.

I do Reiki, and sometimes when I do Reiki, I'm able to communicate with people who have passed over, or to pick up on past lives-I used to do more of this, but have kind of slowed down on it since my life became so crazy.

I have two boys, 8 and 12, who are freaking amazing, sweet kids. I love them to death, and they sometimes feel more like close friends to me than my children.

After I left my ex, I started my own cleaning business-never thought Id be doing THAT!!!! I work alone, and charge good money for it. It's enough to take care of our needs, and I'm so happy that I was able to go from stay at home mom to working mom so easily..

On October 12th, it will be one year since I left my ex.

My life has changed in so many wonderful ways. Every morning, I wake up and smile, because I got away, and my life is my own again!

I will never take this feeling fro granted, ever!

Love this thread. I am finding me again after almost 10 years of abuse. I forgot what I was good at, what I liked to do, what I enjoyed. I am a mum though, a damn good mum. I am very good at my job, and Im discovering, starting to believe in ideals that I would have scoffed at before - like the power of the Universe, etc. I am well travelled, and intend to continue that now that I am free. I am starting a photography course after Christmas, which I am so looking forward to. I am not the stupid, weak, ugly, nasty woman I believed I was for a long time. I am happy with my lot

I have so enjoyed reading everyone's posts. Isn't it amazing how much we have to share and offer the world and others when we are not weighed down by our abusers?

Interesting post. I haven't thought of who I was in awhile.

I am a caregiver for 4 developmentally disabled adults. Ive been working in this field for about 8 years now and Im good at it. It gives me an outlet to be kind and nurturing, which I needed as my sons have outgrown the need for that. I have 3 sons who are my world, along with 2 brothers and their families. I like animals, cool days, sunsets and sunrises, Love the ocean and nature in general. There are parts of who I used to be that I lost somewhere. I used to love to read, and now find it difficult to focus or to relax. I used to love to garden and now never do. I used to have alot more energy. Now I work, clean my house, play pinochle online. come here. I need to mow my lawnand wash my car and I dont want to do either. Oh, and between my divorce, and losing the man I loved after it to a heart attack, I haven't dated in 14 years. Wouldn't have a clue on how to do it. I've had a few male friends but always keep them at a distance.