I did not realize what affect knowing who I really was would have on me. I became a whole person when I found the women in my history (herstory). It was as if for years I had been looking for a puzzle piece that had fallen from the box and rolled under the couch to where I could not see it. I had been searching for over 20 years. Symbolically speaking: One day, I tripped and fell on the floor in front of the couch and there it was in front of my face -- that puzzle piece for which I had been searching. Even though I was injured from the fall, I was overwhelmed with emotions at finding the piece. I pulled my aching, injured body to a standing position and placed that piece in its rightful place. When I stepped back and looked at the completed puzzle, it was so beautiful. All the pieces created a garden full of aromatic flowers. There were some in full bloom. There were also tight, delicate buds. There were even ones with faded petals that were fading and falling to the earth. Yet, we were all in the garden together. I remember that day so vividly.