WE CAN TURN FAILURE INTO SUCCESS
After having two failed marriages--just after she graduated from university--my daughter, Catherine, finally met, Wayne. She was in her mid-twenties. He was ten years older and, at time he met Catherine, Wayne had two teenage children who were abandonned by their mother. Shaun (he is still single) and Shauna (she is now married with children). Catherine helped Wayne put his life back together and raise his children.
It was no easy task. From scratch, Catherine helped Wayne build a floating house, gardens and an art gallery--they are both artists and grow most of their own food. They have sold quite a number of their pieces to a prominent gallery, in Toronto ,and are now reaping some financial rewards after living on the edge for a number years. It takes much time for artist to build a reputation.
Catherine is also, a dancer, an actor, a writer and a drugless therapist. Their house is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, near Tofino, which is a popular tourist area. There is also forestry and salmon-fishing in the area.
Several well-known artists, including Wayne and Catherine, live in the area. My wife and I payed our first visit to them in 1994. At this time, I did a painting (2X4 feet) of their home when it was just beginning to develop. I have it on the wall not far from where I am writing this post. The home now covers 1/4 of an acre in a beautiful sheltered cove--Freedom Cove, they have named it. What a difference from when we first saw it. Often staying at the floating-hotel-resort, well-heeled visitors come from all over the world to see this floating work of art. Some will buy the art. Here is what the area looks like:
http://www.wildretreat.com/index.html BTW, in 2001, when Shauna and Schell (A Swedish violinist) got married, I did their wedding at the nearby--ten minutes by fast boat--floating hotel. A great event. Now, my wife, Jean and I, are the proud step great-grandparents of a girl and a boy. The amily lives in Sweden.
The point of the above story? Failed marriages are not the end of the world. Scars can be turned into stars.