Eric that was a very beautiful story about how long you waited, how long you walked, how long you dreamed and how long you wrote and created all while hoping and reaching for that vision of possibilities.  Despite the grueling cold, the long and numerous steps back and forth, back and forth, you never once gave up.  That is amazing fortitude and determination which got you to your destination!  That is what I call truly believing in yourself and your vision.  

Each hardship, each work hour, each minute and hour you had time to learn real life truisms.  It added to your library of knowledge and gave you emotional lessons to put away for your stories, poems and articles.  If not for these times, what could one write about?  

The depth of your essence was blessed by all that you have learned and now you are ready to create your symphony of life, of possibilities, of love and of hardship.  It makes your writings real and of a quality only you can produce.   I am deeply happy for you and wish you a brand new chapter of life,  freedom, happiness and joy! Never let go because you have made it!......Cabbagepatch!