My name is Virginia Giglio. I have had a wonderful life – a life full of wonders. That does not mean that my life has been easy. In fact, my life has been full of pain. It was pain that taught me that I’m a pretty nice person.

Once when I was suffering a great deal of pain while undergoing a medical treatment, I had to put in a mouth guard to clamp my teeth on – the pain was that severe. I would sing or hum or play little mind games during these four-times-a-day treatments. One day I played a silent game of “who would I change places with?” I began to think of people I didn’t like and whether, if I had the power to do so, I would put them in my place to suffer my pain. And one by one, I thought, no, I couldn’t let the people I didn’t like suffer this pain. So I let my imagination move on to people who had hurt me – would I swap places and make them take my pain. Again, the answer was no. Then I began to think about people who had been cruel to others, and imagined the worst person I could think of: Hitler.

I thought for a moment I might have found a replacement for myself and that I could put the pain on Hitler. Then I thought, NO. I couldn’t do it even to Hitler.

Then, a little voice inside me said with a giggle, “I must be a pretty nice person!” And then, despite my pain, I had to laugh out loud. I discovered something wonderful. In the depths of my pain I discovered an unconquerable kindness within myself.

Welcome to knowing me. It might be safe to make my acquaintance.