by Donna M. Carbone

Longevity was a birthright in Diana Ciccone’s family. All the women on her mother’s side lived to be 100 years old. Diana believed her life ran in 25 year cycles.

The first 25 years were hell on earth. A dysfunctional childhood and an abusive first marriage had left her physically and emotionally scarred.

Then, quite by chance, she met the man who would give her a chance for real happiness, and the next 25 years were “… heavenly.”

Now, 16 years into the third quarter of her life, she found herself back at the gates of hell and Satan looked a lot like her ex-husband. She was beginning to wonder if what she called life was actually death and she just didn’t know it.