I’ve heard from so many people, including both of my late husbands, “you’re such a strong woman”. In so many ways I am strong. I can do so many things on my own with no help. It comes from being a young child and always being around my dad (my buddy) and hearing him tell me “baby, I want you to someday find a man you love and want, but I don’t want you to Need a man, I want you to be able to be independent “. Those words stuck with me to the point that I can do just about anything on my own. I can fix most car issues, I can do electrical and plumbing repairs, I’m great with electronics, carpentry, and just about anything that needs to be done. I also learned from my mom (my twin) how to cook, sew, take care of my man, keep a happy and healthy home, and without her teaching me, I also gained a little bit of her OCD. However, what most people don’t realize, is that those “strengths” that everyone sees isn’t all that made me a strong woman. So much came from being a wife (twice). Being a wife gave me more strength than I ever thought possible. I was not only a wife, I was also a friend, nurse, counselor, bodyguard, hairdresser, organizer, financial advisor, masseuse, helper, voice of reason, coach, cheerleader, sounding board, and so many more things that I can’t even remember. I guess what I’m trying to say is in a stand alone world, I am strong, just not as strong as I was as a wife.