After my husband died more than a decade ago, my mother prayed that I would remarry so that I could have a "normal" life again. Many people assumed that it would be too difficult for me to carry on as a single mother and raise a child without a man at my side. As the years went by, I found that it was indeed possible and that, in fact, I had no desire to remarry.

set sail on a voyage of your own titanic facts

Writing is a miracle. You can travel anywhere in the world, to any time and any place — and still be home in time to have dinner.

I love teaching. It's a job that lasts forever. Whatever you teach children today travels with them far into the future.

I believe we're entering a new era, where dynamic female leaders will have an opportunity to bring greater harmony and peace to the planet.

Then everything was still. Absolutely still.

When we believe we have all the answers, we are not open to mystery. To begin a mystical journey, you have to start with a sense of wonder, of not knowing where you are going or how you will travel. The initial phase of alchemy is called the nigredo-it's the phase of darkness, when it's "blacker than black." You feel this when you start something new-go off to college, start a new job, travel to a foreign land, or end a relationship that is not working.