I started writing at the age of seven when I wrote my first poem “Thunderbird”. It seems that a passion for writing flows through my veins as it is a family trait and my childhood was filled with my father nurturing this passion in me as he himself has a way with words. You can find a selection of my past poems in the category Other writing and poems. Please note that these were written from age seven onwards, so may not necessarily reflect the way I think and write today.
The name of this blog, Butterflies and Phoenixes, was inspired by a past column I wrote for the website Dear Thyroid. This is something I can really identify with as parts of my life have been shaped by me having to reinvent myself and forcing myself to never give up. For me the butterfly represents metamorphosis and the phoenix represents perseverance and the determination to carry on no matter what, which is something I have also recognized time and again in the inspiring people I have had the privilege to feature in many of my articles.
In August 2009, I was diagnosed with the chronic illness Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. For me this represented a turning point in my life because I suddenly realized that I no longer had to feel guilty for symptoms such as tiredness and weight gain that I had previously blamed myself for. I also realized that my writing gave me the ability to help and encourage others in similar situations, as well as to cathartically heal myself and learn from past experiences by putting pen to paper and sharing them with others. In addition, I believe that sharing positive experiences is immensely important and inspiring because it gives people hope. The butterfly is also symbolic here because the thyroid is often referred to as a butterfly-shaped gland.
I’d like to thank my readers of Dear Thyroid™ who inspired and encouraged me to set up this blog and I’d also like to thank my webmaster Johannes Lietz without whom this blog would never have been possible. Last (and certainly not least), I am eternally grateful for the beautiful artwork of my incredibly talented niece Jessalyn Perry and my sister-in-law Heide King who are the ultimate mother and daughter dream team!