"As I started digging, I found so much courage, self-preservation, and strength that it made my heart and soul sing. I truly am fantastic. I am a woman proud of her achievements. I would not have survived was it not for the German almost-Hitler upbringing that began my life. The twists and turns and mountains that I had to climb could have broken me, had I not developed inner-strength over time. Now, at 70 years of age, I understand it all so much more, and I have a wonderful self-contentment and peace that only comes with the awareness that we become what we think about. Dance your own dance. Follow no other. Dig deep and view your values with a loving heart. Look at them from your parents’ point of view. They too had their core values that were handed to them. My parents didn’t question things as we do today, so their acceptance without question was even stronger than my own. Embrace your experience without blame, only forgiveness. Live your life on your terms, embrace it daily." - Verena McGowan, Verena: The Girl from East Berlin
