She held the book in her hands, completely overwhelmed with a mix of jubilation and disbelief.  It was like a dream, but the book was very real, the cold, smooth feel of its beautiful hardcover against her palms.  A poetry chapbook, nature themed, with the author’s name printed beneath the illustration of a tree by the riverside. Annemarie stared down at the name, reading it repeatedly while wiping away tears of joy.  Her name.  Her book.  A collection of poems by Annemarie Wilder.

She barely remembered opening the package, had no idea how long she’d been sitting on her couch, holding the beautiful accomplishment in her hands.  It was a moment that took her breath away.  She wanted to sit with that cherished feeling and remember it always.

In three hours, she’d be seated with someone special in a private corner of their favorite Italian restaurant, celebrating her success by candlelight.  But for now, this quiet time of heartfelt reflection was hers to enjoy.

She knew this glorious moment would never have been possible in her old life.  If by some miracle she’d found success during those energy-draining, confusing, chaotic times, it wouldn’t be celebrated.  The past was an agonizing lesson in the cost of losing yourself and trusting someone who never deserved it.  But she learned from it all, taking the pain and transforming it into fierce motivation.

Nearly two years had passed since freeing herself from that toxic relationship.  It was a long season of healing, with unexpected twists and turns in the journey and many painful emotions to acknowledge and release.  Wounds she once thought would never mend were just faint battle scars upon her heart now, carried with dignity and grace, symbols of her deep transformation.

Annemarie opened the book, slowly paging through her work.  She could recall the moment each piece was inspired and the pleasure it brought once finally perfected and completed.

She lingered over the words of “Autumns Treasure,” a significant piece that came together during a walk along the riverside.  It had been a dark time in Annemarie’s life when her raw and vulnerable heart was still struggling to overcome the cruel treatment she never deserved, her journal overflowing with poems of heartbreak, betrayal and pain.

But on that chilly, breezy day, she remembered finding beauty all around her.  Instead of walking to clear her mind of the one who tried to destroy her, she recalled observing the vibrant colors of autumn leaves, magnified against a deep blue sky.  Feeling peace and inspiration as her eyes were opened to all the things she used to notice before she was broken.

The trees, clouds, birds…  Sunlight reflecting off the water, the sparkle of a thousand different currents flowing past river rocks gracing the coastline.  The rocks themselves, magnificent, holding millions of years of memories within their smooth, gray surface.

Annemarie closed the book and held it to her chest dearly as she remembered the afternoon when inspiration sparked a simple poem about the beauty of autumn leaves. The day her writing began to change, returning to themes rooted in positivity and gratitude, a sign of progress on her healing journey to reclaim her true self.

 What was meant for harm turned into her greatest good.  Discernment, self-love, independence, strength, boundaries and self-worth had all been gained. Dreams and goals, once cast aside, were now in clear focus. The epiphany that she was not incomplete, but a whole, sovereign being from the moment she was created. Not someone’s “better half” or a soul left in search of its mate.  Romantic love is meant to enhance and add joy to her already meaningful life.  It was never meant to complete or control her.

 After years of being called “too sensitive” she realized her empathy, compassion and ability to feel things deeply were gifts, not weaknesses.  She found her instincts to be trustworthy, her intuition sharply accurate. These were genuine characteristics that empowered her, and the right people would treasure her for these gentle, special qualities.

Embracing her authenticity, Annemarie stepped confidently into her Season of Joy, where the right man does love, honor and treasure her deeply.