Karen DemareeMy name is Karen Demaree. I was born in a small town in Louisiana in 1959. I am one of five children and enjoyed a very happy childhood. My parents were, and still are, a great and positive influence in my life. I have been happily married to my wondrful husband Michael for nine years. He has encouraged me, along with my sons, to put my poems out there for others to read, to experience, and to hopefully find something that will help them find hope and strength as I have. I am a happy and proud mother of two wonderful sons and one stepson. After twenty-eight years in the banking industry, I have now operated my own business as a consultant for over five years. I live to inspire others and to encourage those who feel hopeless. I have experienced firsthand some low and weary points in my life, and have had enough faith to overcome and survive them. I'll continue to "talk the talk" so that anyone can accomplish whatever they put their heart and mind to. With hope and faith, one can overcome anything at any point. We must always see ourselves bigger than the problem we face. I enjoy writing about my feelings, whether it's sadness, sorrow, joy, or excitement, and expressing them in poetry. I feel it is a genuine way to relate to others who experience similar feelings. I thrive on the opportunity to touch lives in a positive manner. And I trust it to be the purpose and plan that I was placed here to fulfill. I believe in "opportunities," and that we must all be alert and attentive to opportunities before us. For a missed opportunity today will generate regrets tomorrow. "Don't let today's opportunities be tomorrow's regrets." Know that happiness is a choice. So choose to live H A P P Y! Read More Read Less