Although family and friends can make us feel like that old adage, "You can't live with them; you can't live without them," we cannot run from them, as much as we would like to or may have tried many times before. In an imperfect world, we cannot expect perfection and, unfortunately, there are those whose families are a lot less perfect than others. But, no matter the family we belong to or the friends we have, we cannot deny their impact on our lives. Because of You follows a young woman's experiences with family and friends and the influence they have had on her life-some for the better, some for the worse-and how their guidance and direction helped define her and the woman she strives to be. In reading this book, you will find yourself reliving and sharing the same gifts of love, joy, pain and strength that only your family and friends can inspire.