Isabella and the Tale of the Unanswered Question
Like Isabella we each have a unique life story.  Mine begins in 1953, born to Serbian parents, growing up in a small town in northern Illinois.  Looking back I realize as a child I often reflected on “what makes someone happy?”  Though the question remained unanswered for years, I continued searching for a secret map that would show me the way to happiness.  Professionally I followed a trail marked by change and growth through such diverse jobs as a correctional supervisor, a community organizer, a Fortune 500 business consultant, an advocate for survivors of gun violence and trauma, a creativity coach and most recently a psychotherapist in private practice.   Personally, I explored that question through education, spirituality, meditation, personal growth, creativity, nature, animals (I have two cats – Jillian and JoAnn, 40 fish, countless outdoor feathered friends, deer and creatures that snuffle in the night), family and friends. Somewhere around my fortieth year clarity began.  As I turned sixty, I found the answer to what makes me happy:  kindness in all its infinite expressions.                                                                         Cordially, Linda Whittaker June 2014