When Life Throws you Curveballs...
The Story of Rita
Background Information
Curveball
She states this date is significant to her because not only was it her oldest daughter's birthday, but it was the day she realized her marriage of 21 years was ending. Rita had decided to "start her life over" and was terrified. Fear about her children's future, and fear about the unknown events that were to come with this cross country move.
Wednesday, Sep 1, 2004, 12:00 AM
Columbus, Ohio, United States
How was this event a "curveball"?
Rita claims the most liberating thing she has done in her life was "packing up the SUV with [her] daughters, dog, and birds and setting a course to [her] new life". Though she describes the actual decision process was "gut-wrenching". "Weeks before I told my children we were leaving, I was in the hospital with horrible stomach pain", Rita elaborated describing the issue as "stress-induced ulcers". When questioned why she felt so much stress, she explained she was afraid she was not making the right decision for her daughters future. Rita had not worked since before the birth of her oldest daughter, who was now 21. She was not sure how she would be able to support her family, which is the primary reason she claims to have stayed in the marriage for "long after it was over".