The Vicious, Ugly Cycle Throughout our lifetime, each of us contributes to our own environment by the choices we make. We choose our actions, our words, and our deeds---all of which help to mold and shape not only our world, but the world of our kids and grandkids. If we all choose wisely, and continually and consistently put our best foot forward, there would never be a cause or a reason to write a book like this one. We would all mind our behavior behind closed doors so that a "Joey" could never, ever emerge from behind those closed doors. Love and kindness can be caught and cycled like a cold, but sadly, so can hate and abuse. Child abuse is a vicious, ugly cycle caused by ignorance. Thankfully, ignorance is a "curable disease," and one can begin the road to recovery by reading a book like Dear Joey and taking it to heart. All of life is a cycle and each of us gets to choose what we will personally cycle in our lives. Life is short and each of us will pass this way only once. And while we're here, we can cycle the good stuff, making this a kinder and more loving world. Or we can cycle the bad stuff, thereby producing and victimizing another "Joey." I pray that everyone chooses the good stuff---love and kindness---and cycle it like there's no tomorrow. And I pray that all the "Joeys" of the world will also choose wisely and stop the vicious, ugly cycle and help make this a kinder, more equitable world. ---The Author