by Sheila Appleby Williams
In 1994 I was a struggling single mom working as an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles. My days were stressful from the moment the first shrill and demanding bell rang. However, I didn’t learn the real meaning of stress until my daughter turned 14 and her raging hormones incited a teenage rebellion of self destructive behavior that swept over my world like a tornado. The threat of my ex-husband’s “I’m letting her do whatever she wants, she’s never coming back to you.” replayed razor sharp through my mind throughout the day. These were the not the sort of problems to be discussed in the teacher’s lounge and even close friends could offer little comfort.