I was raised on a family farm near Ontario’s west coast. I watched my parents navigate life with commodity-based income. If we succeeded more than we didn’t, we kept the farm and our livelihood. In my precious spare time, I discovered life in the meadows, streams, and forests around me. When it grew too dark to learn from the flora, fauna, and seasons, I read Greek mythology, Irish folklore, and Nancy Drew mysteries. I reflected on my own time and place. In an expression of unity with others, I proudly pledged my head, heart, hands, and health in each of the eighteen 4-H clubs I completed. In high-school, I studied English, French, Spanish and Latin literature which gave me insight into the universality of human life. When it came time to begin my own life’s story by committing to a profession, I didn’t follow a life in the Arts. Economics weighed heavily on my mind, so I attended an agricultural college. A diploma in food management was the sensible thing to do. Time rolled forward. I saw human life begin, change, and end in my healthcare roles in food, nutrition, and education. My family experienced heartache and illness. I loved and lost. I returned to the Arts. At university, I studied poetry and prose from the Middle Ages through to present day, until finally finding beauty in autobiography. I saw great literary theory appear effortlessly and unintentionally in the personal stories of everyday people’s lives. I found a different view of realism--- real people have overcome obstacles to make a difference. The Fates don't always win. I founded The Song Inside Inc. to showcase the joys of life in art and the possibilities it creates.