“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

I want to dispel the belief that "every man is an island" because I refuse to live bound by the ignorance that isolation brings.

I want to embrace the freedom to explore the world to no end. Traveling to nontraditional places; absorbing more than tourist highlights; collecting hundreds of pictures capturing colorful dimensions of life - while refusing to delete the "non-perfect" shots from my digital camera.

I want to embrace the freedom to learn about my neighbors beyond the surface. Opening my home, with my husband and children, as a hub for international students; hosting Salsa dance lessons, African cooking classes, German language courses; inviting the community to contribute their talents and culture to grow stronger in our respect and appreciation for the differences - despite conflicting loyalties during the World Cup.

I want to embrace the freedom God has given me to celebrate a life full of hope, love, grace and peace to serve others with compassion…

My life is about creating interconnections and new realities - recognizing the power of truth and the blessing of tolerance.

Free to express myself without limits and experience the endless wonders of creation, I cannot imagine living any other way.

Forget about life as an island!

— Kimberly Dionne Spears