To my husband Timm, whose unconditional love and support is the kind you hear about in fiction,
To my fur-babies, Mr Anderson and Oliver, my four-legged hearts, who’ve been next to me (or on my lap) for this entire process,
To my Mother, for the gift of tenacity, resilience and unconditional love,
To my grandmothers, Betty and Dorothy, for their unfathomable grace and the wisdom learned during those special moments only a grandson will know,
To my father, for the gift and freedom of true forgiveness,
To my dear brother Chris, my muse for radical authenticity, gone too soon, forever in our hearts,
To my nieces, Brianna and Mariah, and my nephew Nathan, for the gift of laughter and legacy,
To my Mother and Father in Law, Marilyn and Harry Emberley, for always having my (our) back. And for the kitchen talks filled with love, wisdom and Marilyn’s delicious scones (the chocolate-chip ones),
To my dear friend Crystal-Lee Quibell, for picking up the phone (FaceTime), no matter what, to support me on my literary journey (emotions and all),
To Elsii Faria and Kevin Craddock, for providing me the space to heal and grow, either bare-foot in the woods, or bare-soul at the table,
To my Sister in law Amanda Traviss whose strength and motherhood inspire me,
To my wonderful Sister in laws Tammy Emberley and Mischelle Vance, brother in law Brian Vance and My Nieces and Nephews; Mitchell Vance, Hailey Haldane, Molly Vance and Charlie Haldane for the gift of family,
To my step father Dave McKean for foundational support,
To Brenda (Baby Brenda) Legue Bryson, for showering me with so much love and support through one of the most difficult times in my life,
To Eloise Morrison, whose kindness opens my heart,
To Linda Cooper, the queen of grace,
To my American soul sisters Jodi Clauss Salata and Raquel Benavidez, whose laser-sharp intellect and heart wisdom always walk me home,
To T.J. Collina Ashton for drawing the curtains to another world,
To Sharon Quirt for wrapping me (us) in loves arms,
To my step father Dave McKean for foundational support,
To Arielle Ford, for taking my call and showing me the path that led me here,
To my ‘fairy godparents’ Ed and Deb Shapiro,
To my spiritual Momma Liz Dawn Donahue,
To Jeff Brown, for his grounded guidance,
To Oprah Winfrey and the ‘Super Soul’ conversations that lifted me higher,
To Elizabeth Gilbert and Eat Pray Love for the many days and nights (over 100) snuggled up absorbing your wisdom,
To Don Miguel Ruiz, for writing the words that shifted my world,
To Alan Watts and Osho, for the words that shook it,
To my Good Vibe Tribe and fellow Vivid Life Journeyers, you know who you are,
To every host on VividLife Radio. My days and nights spent producing with you were pivotal,
To the help and wisdom of everyone who contributed to VividLife.me,
To Maranda Pleasant for her kick ass realism and support,
To Blake Bauer, for the introduction to the quintessential publisher,
To ‘Your Vivid Life’ gate keeper, Etan IIfled (Owner, Watkins Publishing),
To my publisher Jo Lal (Watkins Publishing), for believing in me, refining my message to perfection, and allowing my authentic voice (all of it) to shine through,
To Vicky Hartley (Watkins Publishing), for championing my book globally,
And to everyone on the Watkins Publishing team (Kate Latham, Gail Torr, Ailsa Floyd, Daniel Culver, Lydia Martin, Georgie Hewitt), for bringing this to life and to the world! Everyone and everything on our journey, whether a brief encounter at a cafe, a chance encounter through grief, a schoolmate, a business colleague, a life-long friend, a brother- or sister-in-law, a winding road or a rolling stream contribute to living a Vivid Life, and I’m grateful for them all, because each one has contributed to the wisdom birthed through this book.
We’re in this together!
Shayne Traviss