Gwen Plano
One of the most impactful books I've read is Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. After having endured the savageness of Auschwitz, Frankl emerged emaciated but optimistic about life. Later, I read Etty Hillesum's diary, An Interrupted Life. She, too, was imprisoned in Auschwitz, but while Frankl survived to write about his experience, Hillesum succumbed, leaving only her letters and notes. These two extraordinary individuals experienced the worst of life, yet they remained loving, hopeful people. Why? The answer eluded me until my own struggles with domestic violence helped me understand.
Without exception, each of us has experienced hardship. At times, we may have been overwhelmed by our circumstances. The loss of a loved one or the dissolution of a marriage may have devastated us. A life-threatening disease or a financial crisis may have shaken us to our core. When we confront such tragedies, hope can elude us, and it can be an effort just to breathe.
However, Frankl wrote that "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way." How can this be so, if it feels as though we have no choice? After all, we did not choose our sorrow.
When facing life's difficulties, we seek answers. In my case, I realized there was much I needed to learn. Sometimes I could not see the choices before me; I felt more a victim than a master of my fate. And so I became a pilgrim of sorts--searching for healing and purpose. I traveled across the oceans and throughout much of the United States in search of a secret elixir. Along the way, I discovered that I did not travel alone. There were others, many others, who accompanied me. This website focuses on that hallowed journey.
Without exception, each of us has experienced hardship. At times, we may have been overwhelmed by our circumstances. The loss of a loved one or the dissolution of a marriage may have devastated us. A life-threatening disease or a financial crisis may have shaken us to our core. When we confront such tragedies, hope can elude us, and it can be an effort just to breathe.
However, Frankl wrote that "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way." How can this be so, if it feels as though we have no choice? After all, we did not choose our sorrow.
When facing life's difficulties, we seek answers. In my case, I realized there was much I needed to learn. Sometimes I could not see the choices before me; I felt more a victim than a master of my fate. And so I became a pilgrim of sorts--searching for healing and purpose. I traveled across the oceans and throughout much of the United States in search of a secret elixir. Along the way, I discovered that I did not travel alone. There were others, many others, who accompanied me. This website focuses on that hallowed journey.
As for my professional background, I am a retired educator. I taught and served as an administrator in colleges in Japan, New York, Connecticut, and California. My academic background is a bit unusual, but it has served me well. I graduated with honors in nutrition from San Diego State University. I was awarded a master's degree in theology from the University of the State of New York's Maryknoll Seminary and then received a master's in counseling from Iona College. Finally, I earned a doctorate in higher education from Columbia University.
Between travels with my husband and visits with family and friends, I now write. My first book, LETTING GO INTO PERFECT LOVE, Discovering the Extraordinary After Abuse, was published in June 2014 by She Writes Press and has just been re-published by the Fresh Ink Group. My second book, THE CONTRACT between heaven and earth, is co-authored by John W. Howell and was published June 1, 2018. My third book, THE CHOICE the unexpected heroes, was published June 4, 2019 by Fresh Ink Group. THE CULMINATION a new beginning was also published by the Fresh Ink Group on November 23, 2020. My latest book, REDEMPTION, was published by the Fresh Ink Group on February 21, 2023.
Though writing is an accomplishment of no small measure for me, my greatest treasure and most profound source of joy has been and is my four adult children. It is they who have guided me through life's mysteries.
Between travels with my husband and visits with family and friends, I now write. My first book, LETTING GO INTO PERFECT LOVE, Discovering the Extraordinary After Abuse, was published in June 2014 by She Writes Press and has just been re-published by the Fresh Ink Group. My second book, THE CONTRACT between heaven and earth, is co-authored by John W. Howell and was published June 1, 2018. My third book, THE CHOICE the unexpected heroes, was published June 4, 2019 by Fresh Ink Group. THE CULMINATION a new beginning was also published by the Fresh Ink Group on November 23, 2020. My latest book, REDEMPTION, was published by the Fresh Ink Group on February 21, 2023.
Though writing is an accomplishment of no small measure for me, my greatest treasure and most profound source of joy has been and is my four adult children. It is they who have guided me through life's mysteries.