I share with you 108 stories of my own life, stringing together 108 moments representing the number of beads of a Mala, which is a string of beads used by Buddhists and Yogis to count mantras while meditating. Each of these stories represents a bead in the Mala, a simple moment in time. I think of each story as an opportunity to meditate on one of your own stories you may remember as you read mine.
Some of these moments are turning points. Some are moments when doors opened to growth, gave me insight, or helped me regather bits of myself. Others are simple moments in life, the kind that make up so much of our lives.
Mine is not a special story; it is one story of one woman seeking wholeness. I hope, as you read this book, that you laugh, cry, are curious, and most of all, that you feel how we are more alike than not—all of us. We seek love; we want to avoid pain. We are brilliant and we make mistakes; we hurt ourselves and other people. We are perfectly imperfect. …presence and forgiveness are key ingredients to contentment.