Allyson Clayton

The Word is Love- Lessons in Self-acceptance, Relationships & Other Things That Really Matter Allyson Clayton

Publisher Marketing: In the summer of 1998 I got the diagnosis that changed my life changed forever. I had the autoimmune disease lupus. I finally had answers. But eventually I developed secondary fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition associated with lupus, and chronic fatigue, which took over every minute of my every day. For years I managed my life and responsibilities in the shadow of illness. I struggled to be happy. Anger consumed me. I grew tired as I mourned the former me. After grappling with the realities of compromised health for well over ten years and grieving the loss of a parent, I arrived at a place where I didn't want to be angry, scared and sad anymore. I wanted to focus on what was good. I wanted to stop raging against my body for its perceived failures. I longed to revisit a long held dream: to be a writer. To start my journey to a better and more peaceful life, I needed to shift expectations, of myself, others and the world. The Word Is Love-Lessons in Self-Acceptance, Relationships & Other Things That Really Matter explores the beginning of this long overdue journey, presented in a collection of essays about my experiences. In a world filled with shiny, frivolous things and the constant pressure to be perfect and keep up, there is a joy that comes from being firmly in touch with what I value. As painful as it has been, illness and loss have had a hand in my evolution. They have put me on the road to what I am meant to do, and the person I am meant to be. The path to fully appreciating all that is good in our lives never really ends. There will always be good, wonderful days when we are able to see things clearly; and there will always be challenging days when the negative get the best of us. I want to keep perspective so the good outweighs the bad. Now that I am on my way, I know what I want to achieve. I want to be well. I always want to know love in my life and fully cherish my amazing family and friends. I want to love what I see when I look in the mirror, honor my talents and like the person I am inside. I want to embrace simplicity, focusing less on things and more on experiences, because moments feed my soul one million times more than things ever could. And I want to know that aspirations are never beyond my reach. I want all of these things for everyone. The Word Is Love celebrates what is important. I hope you join me in the celebration, and it leads you to a place of happiness, self-acceptance, potential, and a love for what matters. Contributor Bio:  Clayton, Allyson Candy O'Donnell was born in Carmichael, California where she immediately encountered her grandparent's dogs. Her parents did not have much to speak of, and her grandparents were always there to pick up the slack. Pets quickly became a huge part of her life, and still today many animals reside in her home and stories. At the age of twelve, she wrote her first mini book. Filled mostly with what took place with her mother and her long tedious bout with leukemia. It was a short story told as extra credit when she suffered a sprained ankle and had to be out of school for over two months. School officials refused to believe a word of what she had written until her grandmother, her guardian back then, entered the school with the truth. Everything she had written down was exactly what took place. Unfortunately her mother succumbed to the disease. Candy earned a Bachelor's degree in History and Culture in 2010. After living with her aunt and uncle for over five years she wished to explore her uncle's Native heritage and did so with vigor. She also has 6 Grad units in Criminal Justice. Someday she might go back and finish her Master's. https: //www.facebook.com/AuthorCandyODonnell http: //authorcandyodonnell.blogspot.com/