The web of life

The Web of Life

The web of life… labyrinth…an intricate structure of interconnecting passages through which it is difficult…if not impossible…to find one’s way. Donalee entered her labyrinth on Feb. 9, 1961. She was an unhappy child and her discontent followed her like the water in a falls with no way up. Her teens years were barren of happiness as she continued her downward spiral.

She married at the age of 23, hoping to find happiness in her husband, but never realized life’s satisfactions must come from within. The cruelty she placed upon her husband took it’s toll of their life together. After two children and 6 years, Donalee packed up one day, left her tiny daughters, and headed to New Orleans. Her web continued to close in around her.

She lived a prodigal life, drinking heavily, indulging in drugs, dancing in strip bars. She met and married her second husband. Their life was as tumultuous as a confused and violent life could be.. Her husband beat her daily; violated the rules of their marriage and sent her crashing further and further into her convoluted life.

The drugs took their toll. The constant punishment from Joe sent her to the hospital on many occasions. One morning she woke up in a haze, stumbled out to the kitchen after coffee. In her effort to light the gas stove and a cigarette, she leaned over to close and severely burned the right side of her face. In the depths of her web, she somehow managed to pull out a rational thought.

She left New Orleans and headed to Nebraska where her sister lived. She tried desperately to get clean and was nearly there when she was diagnosed with Lupus. And again her web tightened and she sunk further down.

Once she was a beautiful girl. The Lupus turned her into a corpulent figure of what she once was. Her doctors put her on prednisone. The effects caused her face to swell into a round ball. She could no longer fend for herself. On October 16, 2004 with her family by her side, her web of destruction eased and God took her home. At last, she found peace.

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