I want to announce the upcoming release of my third book, The Friendship Book – Because You Matter to Me. Today I wrote the introduction to the book and I want to share with you the “unedited” version so you know it’s coming soon. I hope to have it published by Mother’s Day!

INTRODUCTION

When I was thirteen years old I had to leave my friends from my childhood behind due to the war that took place in my country of origin, Nicaragua, in 1979. My family fled to the Dominican Republic where we had relatives who took us in as refugees. We lived there almost seven years and then again I had to leave my dear friends from my teenage years behind when my turn came to move to the United States in the winter of 1986.

Leaving my friends behind hurt me and it left a scar in my heart. I promised myself to never leave my friends again. That’s why after thirty years of living in Minnesota I will not move. Here is my new home. Back then in 1979 or 1986 there was no FaceBook, email, nor texting or any type of social media. Phone calls were extremely expensive and, therefore, I lost all contact with my beloved friends. It has taken me many years to reconnect and find my friends again. Some of them I never saw again because they moved away from Nicaragua or Dominican Republic and a few of them passed away at a young age.

I treasure friendships and every one of you whom I consider my friend has a special place in my heart that no one else can take. I love you. I appreciate you. And I treasure your friendship. This book is a “thank you” to all my friends that I have made during the course of my life in different countries and throughout the United States as I have traveled. Each one of you is a gift from God to me.

Because I love to encourage others to use their gifts and talents, I worked with my sister, Isa Tyler, who is an artist, and all the paintings on this book are her original art. A few years ago, I got inspired to write friendship poems and one day I had the idea to collaborate with my sister and use her gifts to inspire you to give this book to your friends as a token of your friendship.

It is my heart that you get inspired to nurture your friendships because you never know when it will be the last time you see each one of them. I encourage you to reconnect with old friends and spend quality time with your close friends. Enjoy friendships. They are each a gift from heaven to you!