ave it all figured out, life pulls a switcheroo on you. The road zigs when you zagged . . . your hopes and dreams hit a dead end . . . or you simply run out of gas and feel stranded on the highway of life.

It could be a divorce, a diagnosis, or a death . . . or the hole that was your childhood pain reopens to swallow the joy around you.

You feel empty and alone.

But you are not alone.

I wrote this book to remind you of that. Someone has been there before you.

My own detours? Unwed mother at 21. Recovering alcoholic at 25. Cancer survivor at 41. Alzheimer's caregiver to my mom.

I still believe life is good even when it isn't fair. I believe every detour in life becomes a spiritual adventure to strengthen our soul and to better love ourselves, our lives, and everyone in it.

This book shares my experiences and stories of other people who faced even bigger detours yet still created a life they love. It's about finding the awe in the awful, the mystery in the mistakes, the magic in the mess.

The Universe led you to this moment, this detour, this book. I hope it comforts you, challenges you, and empowers you to choose love as a response to every life detour.