Believe: A Memoir in Stories

At 36 years old, Christina had it all...two young and healthy boys, an uber successful husband, and a big house in a gated-golf course community. She was young, rich, and on top of the world.On the morning of September 11, 2000, a devastating call would up-end everything and life as she knew it. While this cataclysmic event didn't mark the beginning of end of her life, it would be the test of her character, agency and faith. This book offers insight to a life journey that is extraordinary yet profoundly human. It's the chronicle of an evolution from a frail child into a woman shaped by intense love, incredible upheavals, and ultimately, deep personal wisdom.Beginning with a childhood marked by illness and solitude, books and fairytales became Christina's refuge and compass. These influences weave throughout her life and the stories, not as naive fantasies, but as emotional frameworks that conflict with the sharp edges of her reality.Life takes a dramatic turn when at 25, Christina meets Jeffrey, a Wall Street Titan, whose fast-paced existence is worlds away from her quiet, reflective nature. The connection is immediate and all-consuming. Their life becomes exhilarating, fantastical, and materially abundant.The heart of this memoir is the defining moment when an unexpected phone call changes everything. This moment acts as a fault-line in Christina's life, splitting everything into a before and after. From this point on, the story becomes less about the external events and more about the quiet but radical life-changing shifts in Christina's understanding about self, love, loss, and destiny.At its core, this story is about transformation that only comes when we are challenged and stripped of control and what we know. It's about learning to let life present itself with patience and understanding. This book is a tapestry of life-lesson stories woven together by themes of self-discovery, unconditional love, tragedy, spirituality, family, inner-strength, and grief. Read more