Reflections from a Woman Alone: A Lighthearted Look at a Journey toward Wholeness

210 Pages·2001·0.46 MB·English

by  Corinne Edwards

Reflections from a
Woman Alone:
A Lighthearted Look at
a Journey toward
Wholeness
Corinne Edwards
HAZELDEN®
REFLECTIONS
FROM A WOMAN
ALONE
Advance praise for Reflections from a Woman Alone . ..
“Corinne Edwards hooked me with her unabashed honesty and ever present
sense ofhumor.This is a thoughtful and funny story ofone woman’s adventure
in being single.” —Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Author,The Invitation
“I love this book.I wanted more.This sometimes hilarious but always honest
story proves there is no aging to the emotions ofthe heart—only growth toward
more learning and love.” —Michael F.Roizen,M.D.
Author,RealAgeand The RealAge Diet
“A wonderfully humorous and courageous reflection on what many women
experience at midlife.” —Mona Lisa Schulz,M.D.,Ph.D.
Author,Awakening Intuition
“Wild,hilarious,poignant,and sparklingly written,this deceptively small book
packs a big and liberating punch.” —Andrew Harvey
Author,Son ofMan
and The Direct Path
“Courage,humor,dead-on emotional honesty,and wise compassionate obser-
vation ofselfand others are what distinguish this riveting story.It captures per-
fectly the weirdly elevated yet demeaned status of manlessness.This book is
deft,immediate,and unexpectedly perfect.” —Belleruth Naparstek
Psychotherapist and author,Your Sixth Sense
Creator ofthe Health Journeys guided imagery audio series
“A delightfully endearing celebration ofthe single woman! Through letters and
poetry,you are lovingly invited inside a world that is usually kept hidden.You
can learn its secrets here!”
—Judith Sherven,Ph.D.,and James Sniechowski,Ph.D.
Authors,The New Intimacy
“Bucking an entire culture ofbeing an unpartnered woman isn’t easy;however,
through her truth-telling,Corinne Edwards helps us see ourselves as the whole,
full,creative beings we truly are.She gives us the courage to live out offullness
right now,no matter what.” —Justine Willis Toms
Cofounder,New Dimensions Broadcasting Network
Coauthor,True Work
REFLECTIONS
FROM A WOMAN
ALONE
A Lighthearted Look
at a Journey
toward Wholeness
Corinne Edwards
TRANSITIONS
sm
BOOKPLACE
HAZELDEN®
INFORMATION &EDUCATIONALSERVICES
Hazelden
Center City,Minnesota -
---
---(Fax)
www.hazelden.org
©by Corinne Edwards
All rights reserved.Published 
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
No portion ofthis publication may be reproduced in any manner
without the written permission ofthe publisher
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Edwards,Corinne,–
Reflections from a woman alone :a lighthearted look at a journey
toward wholeness / Corinne Edwards.
p. cm.
 ---
.Edwards,Corinne,– .Edwards,Corinne,—
Correspondence..Widows—Illinois—Chicago—Biography.
.Bereavement..Chicago (Ill.)—Biography.I.Title.
.  
.'—dc -
 
Author’s note
This book is based on actual experiences.In some cases,the names
and details have been changed to protect the privacy ofthe people
involved.
Interior design by Nora Koch,Gravel Pit Publications
Typesetting by Nora Koch,Gravel Pit Publications
This book is dedicated with love and gratitude—
to my wonderful sons,
their beautiful wives—
and Veronica and Julius II
And to Dee,Julie,Pat,and Stevie,
wherever they are—
to Junie Bug
and to Jamie.
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Acknowledgments viii
Introduction x
Prologue xv
Gone 1
Getting Out 71
Magic 129
Epilogue 189
About the Author 190
vii
Acknowledgments
To all those who loved me and this book into actuality.
Starting with my family—my sons,Mark,Paul,Peter,and
Alex, their wives, Karen, Debra, and Dawn, Rain Stewart,
Julius Edwards, and my precious grandchildren,Veronica
and Julius II—my mother, Helen Coryat, Cecil Coryat,
Henry and Isabel Coryat, June Gross, Sheila McAndrew,
Gail and Bill London.
To “The Group”—Arlene Shelley, Rhea Freeman, Mary
Ellen DiMatteo,Sondra Bailey,Sheila Morrison,Linda Mills,
Adar Rathe,Pattie Penegor,Lee Warren,Virginia White.
To the wonderful, generous friends who support and
inspire me—Ted and Patricia Kowalski,Bernie and Phyllis
Curran, Katie and Stan Olson, Gail Haus, Susan Cavallo,
Nora Winsberg, Ruth Warren, Linda Herrendorf, Anita
Durkovic,Lee Shelley,Harriet Silver,Elma Lucas,Barbara
Popovic, Joan Moloney, Ron Baker, Doug Rathe, Bob
Trilling,Carole Bidnick,Penny Price,Donna Gould,Arielle
Ford, James Kavanaugh, Cate Cummings, Anita Halton,
Marjorie Conte,Edna Farley,Debra Goldstein,Justine and
Michael Toms, Belleruth Naparstek, Marilyn McGuire,
Richard Symon, Sonia Choquette, Judith Sherven, James
Sniechowski, Bill Turner, Steve Juhasz, Barbara Brigel,
Xavier Roy, Neale Donald Walsch, and the entire team at
Wisdom Media Group.
viii
And to those who were involved in the publishing ofthis
book and have become friends—Gayle and Howard
Mandel, June Rouse, Marilyn Allen, Bob Diforio, Karen
Chernyaev,Kate Kjorlien,Jody Klescewski,Joe Riley,Karin
Nord,Carol Southern,Clay Garner.
ix