Who Would’ve Thought It?

Who would’ve thought it? Three years ago, almost to the day, The Accidental Blogger made its debut…not because blogging ranked high on my bucket list, but because I needed a platform and figured stories about ordinary people who overcome adversity would do the trick.

Simply put, I could relate to the traumatized, and figured others could as well. Bad things happen to everyone. Sudden death. Sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Neglect. Addiction. Mental illness. Betrayal.

You can’t understand the suffering and wonder if you’ll ever find joy. But as I discovered from my own experience and that of others, you can overcome and find hope. You aren’t alone. 

The Revelations of Others

Since my debut, I’ve learned a lot from those who bravely revealed their lives to me in 65 blog posts: 

• Tragedy and adversity come in different forms. 

• Reactions vary wildly, from disbelief and anger to deep sadness and regret.

• Tragedy can change or challenge your belief in God, prompting some to ask, “why me?”
• Some never get over their heartache.

For all, life is forever changed and we’re left, shaking our heads, and thinking, “Who would’ve thought it?”

From Trauma to Purpose

In many cases, the experiences of these men and women mirrored mine. They tried to make sense of their adversity. By looking beyond themselves and reaching out to others, they hoped someone else might heal.

For me, looking beyond started with a question. Why would God take my 33-year-old son, who was in the prime of his life when he passed?

Through prayer and contemplation, it struck me that he wasn’t taken. God had loaned him to me. My son, like everyone else, had a purpose, a special job that only he could do. Once my son completed his mission, God took him back.

That understanding gave me peace.

It also inspired  Always Think of Me. Expected to release in February 2024, my debut novel addresses the theme of life’s purpose through the eyes of an aimless party boy and a deeply traumatized woman. It made sense that The Accidental Blogger would continue the novel’s theme of trauma and purpose by spotlighting the stories of real people. 

Who would’ve thought it? Certainly not me before the bad stuff happened to my family.

A Shout-Out to You

As Rose Kennedy once said, “Life isn’t a matter of milestones but of moments.” This lady certainly had her share of hardship, but she persevered like the people who gave me the honor of telling their stories…the moments that changed their lives. 

I thank them. I thank you for reading their stories. And I pray that you benefited from their wisdom.

God bless you.