WHY Pacia Life? Randy Oakley shares some history that led to the creation. Each chapter has been shortened for the sake of reader enjoyment. Longer versions with more details are available.
Adult Strays
Shortly after my own daughter, Sarah was married and now moved out of my basement apartment, I got a phone call from an educational consultant. The phone call went like other phone calls I have received over the years.
“Randy, Michele is in Aspiro and for some reason, I have no idea what to do with her next. She can’t return home to Texas for obvious safety reasons. But, she needs a family and a normal life. Not a boarding school.”
Just an important side note, Michele has amazing parents and family. The reason she couldn’t return home safely was because of a significant predator and ongoing court situations.
In the weeks to come, Michele moved in with my family. We changed her identity for her protection. She played soccer at the local high school. Eventually, Michele graduated from Westminster College in Salt Lake City, played soccer in college, and has been fiscally independent ever since then.
Michele also participated in international gap experiences, service trips, etc.
Based on my experience with my own daughter and foster children, I can honestly say that I felt Michele was well prepared for jobs, financial stability, college, and more.
Then came Whitney, Rachel, several others.
Each has its own story. And, with each of them, I feel blessed by them but also learned so much more. I feel like I learned how to work with different personalities, different strengths, etc.
“I started to figure things out like ADHD might be a disability in a traditional classroom but in real life, ADHD is the perfect mind in the workforce if put in the right environments.”
The biggest take away with my “adult strays” is life coaching in all areas of life including career, education, personal wellness, daily success habits, the foods we eat, gap experiences for personal growth, dating and social life coaching, leisure education, and more were all part of the condition of living in my home.
This was different from my job where I went to work, did my job, and then came back home. I didn’t have a team of people to help. But slowly, I started creating a process. A process that would later become the Tatori Experience.