“NO!!! Seriously?!?!” I yelled. “I can’t believe you just did that!!”

Duncan, one of our cats, had thrown up on our living room floor in three places. The wood floor had just been waxed and wasn’t completely dry yet. He looked at me startled and then slowly walked acros...

My voice has awarded me the freedom, assurance and well-being I lacked when I was younger — luxuries I earned over time and would not give back in exchange for the years. I realized that was the game changer that altered my life, not a birthday.