The Return of a Celtic Woman

Most stories start at the chronological beginning but mine must begin with a declaration of sincere thanks to the city of Frankfurt am Main for all of the vitally important experiences and aspects of living life here as a foreigner, a wife to an extremely busy and established Frankfurter, a devoted mother to six children in a "patchwork" situation, an aunt, an active member of society, co-founder of Frankfurter Brücken, a published freelancing translator, and literary word enthusiast, all of which and much more, I have had the opportunity to experience here over the last 45 years. Experiences such as embracing the Waldorf educational system of Anthroposophie, reading through the works of many fabulous German thinkers and poets, achieving my German hunting license though I have long since become a vegetarian, enjoying extensive international travel, meeting important, historically relevant figures of the time and learning about different cultures while immersing myself into the various Frankfurt am Main cultural institutions and understanding and accepting differing perspectives and most importantly, learning about self-knowledge and finally gaining financial and emotional independence. Each of these life phases could fill chapters of a book. There have been seriously challenging years as well when I truly wondered if I would be able to deal with the unyielding pain and suffering without totally losing myself in the process. Luckily, I have been blessed with a dauntless, unwavering faith in the divine which I know resides within each of us and therefore the beauty of life always prevails. Yes, my life here in Frankfurt am Main has been deeply fulfilling and very multi-faceted. I am also a grateful "Ama"-grandmother- to thirteen wonderful grandchildren. The youngest was just baptised last Saturday in Sachsenhausen. Thank you Frankfurt am Main! You have been my home since leaving my large family in America on September 9,1981! I am of Celtic heritage, so in a way, I have come back to my ancestral origins. Looking forward to happily continue my story on Friday at your Frankfurtschreibt workshop.