ld to begin its journey through life, it is given one body and one brain. There will be one person for sure, possibly more, but hopefully two to greet them. They will be nurtured, cared for, and instructed in preparation for their life journey. The origin, or starting point, for their journey will be set, and their destination will be the same as every other soul on every other journey through life. Their ability to make decisions, and the choices they make, will determine the route they take. Some journeys will be shorter, and some will take longer. Even the shorter journeys may encompass an entire lifetime of experience while some longer journeys may seem interminable to the point of madness. Some journeys may be smooth sailing right to top of the mountain. Some may be chaos with no clue as to direction, sense of order, logic or reason. Some will lead others and some will feel compelled to follow. One fact for sure is that every journey will be a story. This book is such a story. I was there at the

beginning and I was there at the end. This journey is "Marie." For that reason I kept other character's names out of the story and addressed them by nouns, pronouns, or affectionate nicknames, unless they were famous or known celebrities. We should all have someone to tell our story. It would reduce the time we have to spend listening to people telling us their own version all the time. I suspect there are parts of this story we can all relate to. My wish is that if you read "Marie" you will know that you are not traveling alone. Every minute of every mile takes us closer to our final destination, so what's your hurry?