Through the Stained Glass Window

This book began as a small collection of sonnets that literally poured out of me during what I lovingly refer to as my “Dark Journey”. As the world around me collapsed, I felt as though every hope, dream, and belief I had ever held lay in a pile of broken glass at my feet. I had already lived through incredible tragedy throughout my life, continually gluing myself back together. What had once been the already very pieced together and fragile vessel of my life was now shattered beyond repair. Each sonnet that I wrote represented a piece of the brightly colored broken glass at my feet. I would pick up the piece of glass and very gently place it in exactly the spot where it was needed. Slowly, miraculously, the pieces began to form a mosaic. No longer was my life a fragile vessel, easily broken. Gradually, almost imperceptibly it was becoming a stained glass window; a window for letting in light, for inspiring beauty and awe, and for reflecting back the images of those who would dare to examine it closely. Although this is not a work of poetry, I have begun each chapter of this book with one of the sonnets that were my inspiration. It is my hope that someone, somewhere, may read a particular sonnet or portion of my journey and recognize a glimpse of their own reality in the words. My only wish in sharing my quest toward healing is that it may help and encourage another soul on that same path. Since my goal here was not to write a detailed autobiography or to expose anyone who has traveled this path with me to pain, discomfort or unwanted scrutiny, I have chosen to change the names and certain identifying details of nearly every fellow traveler who appears in this book. Admittedly some of what I write about is painful. But the truth is that we humans, by our very nature, are a painful lot. How we choose to deal with that pain is what makes the difference. It is my belief that through every glorious or tragic experience there is a lesson to be learned, a story of compassion and encouragement to be shared, a ray of hope that shines forth, like the rainbow colored rays of light through a stained glass window.