A Journey Called Life

About the Book

A Journey Called Life is Gladys' story from birth to retirement. She discusses the following challenges during her life: her speech defect, loss of her first child, becoming a teacher, her son's involvement with drugs, her Mom's Alzheimer's, and her daughter's brain surgery. Before the death of her first child, she believed God planned and controlled everything in one's life. However, to her God is loving and caring not a punishing God or one to fear. Why would God take her first baby away from her when he was just two weeks old. After much grieving and soul searching, she changed her philosophy to although God is all powerful, he chooses not to use that power to interfere with nature. God might have a plan for your life. However, everything that happens to you is not God's plan or fault for he allows nature to exist as he created the world. In other words, illnesses and health problems are just a part of our world. God created a beautiful world but it is not perfect because God made people human not perfect. However, God is always there to help you through difficult times. Wiley's children invovement with drugs introduced her to Al-Anon. There she learned that worry is optional and one can experience negativity or anger without becoming negative or angry. She discovered that detachment is not caring less but caring more for your own serenity. She found out that no situation is too difficult to be bettered or any problem too great to be lessened. Wiley also writes about her travels to Virgin Islands, Tahiti, Hawaii, out West, and Alaska. Journaling has become very important to Wiley. She includes ponder questions at the end of each chapter to challenge her readers to think about the meaning of life, journal about their own lives, and grow as individuals.

About the Author

Gladys Wiley who was born in Charlottesville, Virginia June 1945 now resides in Vienna, Virginia. She received a B.S. in mathematics and chemistry from Longwood College in 1967. Gladys was married to James Palmer Wiley June 1967. In 1990, she received a M.Ed. in Elementary Education (Early Childhood Education) from George Mason University. She was financial administrator and teacher at Vienna Baptist Children's Center from 1881-2002. Gladys and Jim's first child, James Joseph Wiley, only lived fifteen days. They had two more children: Joseph Patrick born in 1977 and Mary Rachel born in 1979. They have two grandchildren: Hope Raquel born January, 2004 and David James born November, 2008. December, 2008 Gladys published her first book, Better Parenting Through A Better You, a book on parenting by taking care of yourself and growing not only as a parent but as an individual. Her second book, A Journey Called Life, describes the events of her life, her philosophy, her challenges, and her travels.