Introduction

Tina often said when another of life’s twists and turns blossomed into a memorable escapade or a significant milestone, that she would one day write a book to chronicle her eventful life. This is not that book.

I could never write that book because those moments are not mine to transcribe—they were her moments, her reality. Other people played integral roles in parts of her story, and any interpretation I could offer based on what Tina shared with me might, at times, be unfair or misrepresentative of how events truly unfolded. Any details I might expand upon could also be misinterpreted or even inaccurate.

Tina had strong views on how the past should be remembered—she often said, “That is how it was back then,” a perspective she held firmly, even in today’s environment. To honour her, I feel bound to respect that view in the pages that follow. Yet, I am equally bound not to downplay her journey.

In these pages, I touch on the unintentional conditioning and manipulation Tina experienced in her early years. As a beautiful yet naïve and ‘conditioned’ young woman in the 1970s, Tina faced moments of inappropriate behaviour, to put it mildly. But—and this is what truly matters—she harboured no regrets, carried no ill will toward anyone, and would not thank those who suggested she should feel differently.

The bad episodes are intertwined with the good; they cannot be separated. The cause and effect of both are synonymous with the remarkable person she became and whom we loved. Without those experiences, would she have been the person we admired? Perhaps not.

Another reason I could never write that book is quite simple: I have no great talent for writing. So, I suppose now is as good a time as any to apologise for the humble attempt that follows. Telling her story is not a choice for me—it’s a necessity. Strangely, it does not need to be widely read, only to exist.

This story is, of course, inadequate, even as a backstory to the life of an amazing woman, but it feels authentic. I hope that is enough, and that somewhere between the lines of this story, you will find a moment that makes Tina shine even brighter in your eyes.