Renee B. Montague

The Circle of Life

 

• The year was 1962, gas was .25 a gallon, JFK was President and the Civil Rights movement was well underway, and last but not least, it was the year I was born. 

 

• Renee, born in Richmond, VA.

 

• I tell people all the time that I have lived several lives within my many years.  And I say that because as I look over my life I see where parts of me have died, only to be reborn again… thus the meaning of my name “to be reborn”. 

 

• First life- from birth to 8 years old. I had a happy life, mom and dad and 1 older brother at home. 

 

• Living life, my brother and I playing war with the little green Army men all over my moms’ living room 

 

• I had my collection of Dr. Seuss books 

 

• And mom would read us those good stories about Brea Rabbit and Old Yeller.  

 

• Then came divorce and a part of me died.

  

• Second life – from 10- 16, within this time frame, I acquired two more brothers and a stepfather.  

 

• My mother, may she RIP, may beg to differ, but I was not a rebellious teenager, per se. I did what I was told; I just did it when I felt like doing it. 

 

• During this time, it was all about the music. This is when I fell in love with music, The Jackson 5, Ojays, The Bee Gees, James Brown etc.…  etc. …… all the greats.  

 

• One of the perks of being the only girl was that I had my own bedroom, and my bedroom was my safe haven. In my room, with my music, I was safe, singing in my hairbrush in the mirror.  

 

• Third Life - from 17-19 Someone gave me the album “Inseparable” by Natalie Cole, and I was reborn… and I was reborn to become the next Natalie Cole.  My dream was to go to NY, cut an album, and become a big star. 

 

• I worked hard to finish High school at age  17 and left my mom’s house. Moved to NY with my dad to pursue my dreams…. Needless to say, the closest I got to that dream was Natalie Cole's autograph on a napkin.  

 

• Fourth Life - from 20- 33 Moved back to VA, married my best friend for a short period, and I died again on December 31, 1982, but it was the best death yet.  That was the day my son was born. I was reborn as a mother; my life was no longer just about me.

 

• I knew that I needed to be better in order to do better and to give my son better. So now life was work for me, school for him, and church for us.

 

• Struggling financially, living in a not-so-nice neighborhood, I realized my son was reaching that impressionable age; I needed to get him out of that environment in our neighborhood.  

 

• Fifth Life - at 34, I joined the military. First duty station was Ft Lewis, Washington, then Korea, then Germany, where I spent the majority of my military life. 

 

• When I returned to the States, I was stationed at Hunter Army Air Field. I fell in love with Savannah, Georgia. 

 

• The Military was getting younger, and I was getting older, and my tolerance levels were getting shorter. 

 

• After 10 years of service, I decided it was time for me to go, so I did not reenlist for another term.  I decided to make my home right in Savannah, GA.  

 

• Sixth Life - from 44-63 -Now in the civilian world again. 

 

• I worked different stable jobs that I enjoyed. But ever since I had left the military, something on the inside me was not satisfied with just punching a clock.  I knew that I wanted to be my own boss and set my own schedule. Tried many different business ideas, some great, some not so great.

 

• Present Life- from 63- Until -Reborn again as an author I found a new mission—helping others discover purpose through life’s challenges.

 

• I would truly say that my life has come full circle. With all the ups, downs, overs, dying, and being reborn, if I could go back, I would not change a thing.  Why, because every experience I encountered has made me into the Confident, and Grateful Renee that I am today.