Baring My Soul

I was the last of ten children in my family

Nine lovely girls and li'l ole me

Spoiled you may rightly assume

WRONG!

I was the sweetest well mannered offspring

That a parent could ever wish for

Even to the point of being withdrawn

All through my teenage years

I had an inferiority complex

Never thought the opposite sex

Would ever be interested in me

Early on in my career as a graphic designer

Things began to change dramatically

My success gave a new found confidence

And suddenly I saw myself in a different light

Which allowed me to open up my heart

And function as a normal, well-adjusted human

With all the ups and downs, the highs and lows

With all the hopes and dreams everyone possesses

Married Linda, when I was twenty-two

Linda was eighteen and wanted desperately

To get out from under the control

Of an extremely dominating and controlling mother

Did she love me?

Looking back, I would say no

I was her ticket to freedom

Not a good way to start our married life together

Oh our marriage was a happy one at first

But knowing that she really didn't love me

I was always trying to MAKE HER LOVE ME

But I never felt like I succeeded

We had three kids of our own

And we adopted two others

Those adopted kids were my way of trying to tighten the bond

To give her everything she asked for

But I never ever felt that I succeeded

She passed away at fifty-nine from breast cancer

At the same time, her younger sister Cathie

Was going through a nasty divorce

We supported each through those difficult times

And it was only natural, we fell in love and married two years later

Cathie really does love me and for the very first time

I am happy and content with my life

Which is all I ever wanted...

Now you know my story!