A Long Time to Go Without Sugar or Flour

Bright Line Eating isn’t just a way to lose your excess pounds—that’s not really the point. The ultimate goal is to learn how to live life without going back to the food. Watch this week’s vlog to hear my thoughts on this complicated topic.

Comments

  1. Jessica Mohi

    By far the MOST valuable vlog I’ve watched, Susan. I am so grateful for your transparency and the vulnerability you share with us all.
    It’s often easy for me (and I’m sure many others) to look at successful people and justify that I’m not successful because they are or they have … (fill in the blank).
    To be honest, I felt that a little watching your vlogs like you had a secret super power which prevented you from feeling the temptations and urges I was struggling with.
    Just knowing that this is still a process for you and that you still, after so many years, make conscious choices to stick to your food plan motivates and inspires me just as much as the very first Bright Line video I watched.
    Thank you for sharing – or more accurately, I think, devoting your life to our community.
    You are making the world a better place by helping me and so many others live a life that gives us pride, satisfaction and self worth.
    So much love.
    Jess xo

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  2. Stefi

    fantastic vlog!! 👍👍 Thank you Susan 😘🤗

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  3. Jodi tallmon

    Once again, just what I needed to hear!

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  4. Sharyl

    I can’t love this vlog enough. This is one of your best ever!!

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  5. Diane

    Hi Susan,

    Heartfelt thanks for this vlog. It has added another layer to the clarity around food that BLE is the foundation of. I’m in for life too because I am committed to my wellbeing.

    Kind regards,

    Diane

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  6. Kiri

    Brilliant. Honesty and inspiration in a perfect blend. I am grateful for your example.

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  7. Char Loving

    Thank you! Third week in Bootcamp. It’s what I needed to hear. 🙂

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  8. Bob L.

    So true for me, sugar/ food is the first one in and the last one we deal with. Still at it one day at a time and not beating myself up about it. Thanks for Vlog.

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  9. Pam

    Thank you Susan for letting me know that you are real. I too felt that you had immaculate bright lines. I feel so much better knowing that I’m not a failure. I do so good for a period and then oops!!! This vlog was what I needed right now today. I can’t thank you enough for everything you have taught me. I live each day striving for bright lines.
    Pam

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  10. Kara

    You are sooo real and these vlogs are the most meaningful to me. They make me know to rezoom regardless! Thank you!

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  11. Lorelei

    As someone just starting the14 Day Challenge I am both intimidated and fueled by this vlog! Even this early in the journey I can attest to the clarity and mental space that not overeating creates. I’m pretty sure this is the “richness” Susan was referring to. It feels wonderful!

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  12. Joseph

    Your authentic self for all to see. Thank you for another great vlog Dr. Thompson!
    Joseph in Missoula

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  13. Laura

    Great vlog Susan, and thank you for sharing your friend’s superb quote. I suspect for many of us, it beautifully captured what we are grappling with once some of the habits start to feel automatic. It is an identity change and not a small one. It was reassuring to hear that this still feels fresh for you,.
    I’m on Day 33 now and shared what I am doing with a few friends and family. I’ve had to correct some of them when they ask – “So how’s the diet?”
    Thanks for inspiring and supporting us all.

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  14. Barbara

    I have been on this journey for 14 months, and reached goal 2 months ago. From the onset I knew that this was going to be my life, and I also knew that it was going to be difficult to not use food as my go to for anything, and everything in life. The inner work is way more important than losing the weight, I think that has aided me in being able to not focus on the weight as much as focusing on healing the addictive brain. I feel so much better when I can control those impulses to eat off plan, and I also know that when and if I eat off plan I will head down that slippery slope and I don’t want to go there. I am in this for a llifetime, and at 66 years old, that is way shorter than many others who are on this journey. But, I can tell you right now I am in better shape now than I have been in my entire life, not just because I am at a healthy weight but because I feel good mentally, and emotionally. Thank you for this vlog this week, and thanks for being real, that this isn’t about being perfect, it is about doing the work.

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  15. Karen

    Such a great vlog! I wonder what was different about your 12 step program that
    Made it possible for you to never break your food plan or lines? Was it an easier program?
    Eight years IS a long time! Breaking my lines is a huge danger zone for me as rezooming is
    Extremely difficult for me so it makes me afraid now to stray off. I’ve learned that slippery slope lesson!
    Thank You for all you do and helping so many of us reach our dream to be Happy thin and free!

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  16. Shirley

    Oh Susan! Isn’t the wisdom of our friends the spice, the joy, the comfort and inspiration to do and be!
    Love you back

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  17. Sue

    I never really understood what it meant to be an ’emotional eater’ but since starting BLE, I realize how much food is my drug of choice. Lately I’ve been having trouble keeping my lines but I keep trying to re zoom . Great blog, super honest. Thank you so much for the transparency 😊

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  18. donna Stone

    Thanks you are so encouraging. I have more hope about my weight since I did the 14 day challange than I have my whole life. I thank God for send you my way.

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  19. Mary North

    This vlog was so refreshing. Hitting the nail on the head…having a life that doesn’t revolve around food. When you are not anesthetized then things can get real raw. Fast. I have to remind myself I am in the world with no buffer these days, nothing to blunt the pain, does that make sense? Then you have to be real gentle with yourself because some times it’s really overwhelming. Break out the bunny slippers…Susan, I hope you do not second guess yourself for this vlog, those of us who could hear are very appreciative…sending love and gratitude.

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  20. Theresa

    I’m not in BLE and never will be… but you continue to help me with my journey and give me hope that more and more people will understand the addiction of processed food. I love the amazing person you are…

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  21. Pat Tyson

    I am so inspired by the things that I’ve learned from you Susan. I’m far from perfect, but I’ve lost the weight that I wanted to lose. I think that I am really LUCKY that I don’t have to use willpower to avoid foods that contain gluten. I used to make homemade breads and pies until I realized that eating them was making me very sick. That’s when I began this journey to wellness. Resisting sugar has been a bit harder, and sometimes I fall off of the wagon, but I just forgive myself and get back on it! Thanks for the education and the motivation!

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  22. Krissy

    Oh my goodness – I have been asking about this for years!! “How do I live after a diet?” No one has ever addressed this topic in the way you just did here. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

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  23. Laurie

    Very important blog for me.., it still hasn’t hit me that this is for the long haul I’m on my 3rd Rezoom 30 days in

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  24. Kay

    Another great blog. I am a 2 year baby just learning one step at a time. Thanks for all the words of wisdom and inspiration.

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  25. Carole A. Loll

    Susan, This hit home to me this very day as I was contemplating whether or not I could really stay on this journey for the rest of my life after living 434 BLE days, 122 days on Maintenance & 97 days as a Bright Lifer. I am below my intended goal weight but happy where I am this week. Even though I reached my intended goal of 112 lbs., I have continued to slowly lose 6 more & seem to have stabilized but got scared on my weekly weigh in Monday when I dropped another lb., & was beginning to wonder if my bad dream I once had was to become a reality of not being able to stop losing weight. To alleviate that fear, I weighed myself again this morn & was back up a lb. So I am doing the dance of maintenance. I definitely needed to hear & take to heart your vlog for today as three of my lines are pretty bright but the 4 th one of three meals/day with no snacks has been my rezoom area. It gave me an uplift to know you struggle as much as most of us do. I also try to commit to my food plan each day but something always happens to where it changes from what I had planned, especially when I normally only eat 2 meals/day but have written down three. I read Lynn Coulston’s intro to the Bright Lifers’ community today & have vowed to work on a very bad habit I have had since childhood of being a night owl. My schedule is so different & opposite of the rest of the world so need to desperately change & get on track with everybody else so I consistently get three meals/day in rather than brunch & dinner. My husband & Saboteur are working hard on me to not lose any more weight by eating things NMF but so far, my will power has held up & I have not given in to their suggestions. Thank for this meaningful vlog. I have recommitted to this lifestyle .

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  26. carol pruitt

    Just a great vlog we all need to hear and reflect on. I was Just thinking about this topic today.
    It is my one year anniversary and I still have more to lose. I thought I would be at goal weight by
    now but have 15-20 lbs to go. I realized this BLE is not just a diet but a total way of life for me as a food addict. I must keep that thought active all the time because when i don’t I begin to go back to the habit of eating whenever and over nothing at all. This is a lifelong journey and I do it one day at a time honing the skills to keep me happy thin and free. Thanks so much Susan for all your efforts to save us from the
    addiction to food.

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  27. Judy

    Hi Susan, This is the first Vlog I’ve listened to from you. I’m in my 5th day of the 14 day challenge and its been amazing! I am loving it. Could you comment on a future blog about the detox effect please.
    I know I’m experiencing this now and would love to hear your thots on this subject. Thank you in advance!

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  28. Ann MacDougall

    Today is the 44th anniversary of my last drink (thank you, God!!!) I was abstinent in OA for 12 years (much the same guidelines as BLE), losing 50 pounds. Then, I must have had a huge brain fart because I stopped weighing my food, stopped going to meetings, and did free-for-all (read self will run riot) for the next 7 years. The weight gain was only 11 pounds but the craziness of obsessive eating was AWFUL! I’m now on about 12 days of BLE and the clarity, sanity, and absolute cleanness are incomparable! I’m so grateful to be back on track. You’re right, Dr. Susan. Alcohol we can live our lives without and in many ways has been much easier than food for me. However, sobriety is sobriety, allowing NOTHING to stand between me and God! Thank you so much!

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  29. Ann Christine

    Susan!
    Its inspiring to listen to you.
    I just know that this BLE is the right thing for me.
    Your enphasis on honesty is important – since many of us have been used to eating / drinking in Secret.
    Thank you!

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  30. Anne

    Thanks for this one. Failure and guilt is such a human condition. Support is paramount and a time where you “fall off the wagon” you need help to stop beating yourself up. It’s ok, we’re not perfect, just get back up there and keep going.

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  31. Margaret Terris

    Hallelujah Susan, great vlog x

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  32. Gertrude Hogan

    Susan your honesty is inspiring.

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  33. Mayla

    I hate to say this, but I can’t tell you how much relief I felt when I heard you saying that you break your lines on occasion. I’m 3 months into my journey and this vlog has given me hope that it’s possible to do this long term. If you were perfect, I would think that I just can’t live this way of life. I’m in.

    Suggestion for an upcoming vlog. Tie in alcohol, make it a more integral part of BLE because it’s in the food/drink category and it’s all around us.

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  34. Dixie Cole

    Thank you for this encouraging vlog!

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  35. Gordon

    So honest and so raw. Actually, “so human” is a better way to say it. Thank you. It really helps to hear that even you struggle with this. I have been struggling with it for the last month, and I know it’s just going to get harder as the holidays approach.

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  36. Amy

    Friggin love u. Thank u! Been on this journey about 2 years now. Been through a lot of emotional turmoil and stress for sure! I haven’t stayed bright but this is my lifelong journey and every day is a new day and I won’t give up till the day I die.

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  37. Kristin Hall

    VERY powerful statement. And I often think about the differences between drug addition and food addiction. You HAVE to eat, so you HAVE to find a way to not let food run your life. A bright lifer since the end of 2017, I can attest that everyday, I am learning who I am now that I am not turning to food to solve my problems, and learning to live a new life based on what I want to do, not what I want want to eat for my next snack or meal to reduce my stress. Loved this VLOG.

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  38. Gail Anderson Edwards

    One of your best vlogs ever. I love the authentic Susan Peirce Thompson, and this is one of the most illustrative ones of who you are are at the core. Thanks so much for staying the course, always searching for the truth, whether it is regarding the BLE program or your personal development. This vlog speaks to everyone, 1 to 10!

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  39. Allegra Riley

    Oh Susan! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I celebrated a year of bright line eating on September 16, and felt like a big fraud because I’ve been struggling off and on with my bright lines for several months. Lots of re-zooming and getting and then letting go of support. I have 34 years of a bright shiny line in a 12-step program around another substance, but this food journey is a challenge, for sure. I SO needed exactly this vlog today. Thank you for the permission to be human today. Getting that food tiger out of the cage three times a day and walking it around the block really is different from the total abstinence I’m able to practice in my 12-step program. I am just so grateful today for your message and I am committing my food and granting authority to my mastermind group today. Just for today, one day at a time, I am recommitted and I feel peaceful and hopeful.

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  40. REBECCA STARK

    SUSAN…YOU TOTALLY ROCK !!!
    I’VE JUST HAD MY 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MY 2016 BOOT CAMP. I’VE LOST OVER 50% OF MY BODY WEIGHT, 10 DRESS SIZES. & 54.25″ LOST. GOSH…ISN’T THAT JUST CRAZY? I WILL BE 67 NEXT MONTH & TRIED ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING KNOWN TO LOOSE WEIGHT, SHORT OF SURGERY. I HONESTLY LOOK IN THE MIRROR & DON’T EVEN LOOK THE SAME AT ALL. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT DON’T RECOGNIZE ME. IT’S SUPER DUPER WONDERFUL !!!
    THANK YOU UNIVERSE FOR BRIGHT LINE EATING…IT TRULY HAS SAVED ME.
    IF I CAN DO IT…SO CAN YOU.
    CARPE DIEM !!!
    GRANNY
    XO
    OX

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  41. Joyce

    What a terrific vlog on my 2-year anniversary of BLE!!!! I have been at goal since 4/19/17 and love being Bright Lifer. Yep – this will be how I live the rest of my life.

    I really appreciate that you added in that it’s ok to be without stress when retired! I have such a stress-free life and I earned it, for sure. And, my life is very meaningful.

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  42. Kathryn Bryan

    Susan,
    Thank you so much for this vlog. Your honesty is so refreshing!
    Thank you for coming into my life…

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  43. Cynthia K Holland

    Another fantastic topic, beautifully executed Susan! It resonated with me so much! Day 515, 50 pounds down, enjoying maintenance, and reiterating the power of the ReZoom!

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  44. Linda Wilkins

    This is an incredible vlog and so relevant. Thank you, Susan

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  45. H Scott

    Oh my goodness. Susan you almost always say exactly what I need to hear. As a brightlifer I have been on this journey for about two years now I find that I have broken the lines here and there although not in the beginning. Yes it is about living life and learning to maneuver around the land mines of food that steer us off in another direction. I am thankfully back on track and hopefully wiser now. This is such a learning adventure and it is fresh every day because no two days are alike.
    What you just shared inspires me to keep going. Thank you so very much.

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  46. Michelle S New

    This for me is the real BLE Life! Thank you so much for putting it in words we can relate to. This keeps me moving forward and learning how to live life successfully with food issues.

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  47. Darleen

    Enjoyed it as usual

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  48. Lauren

    Great vlog. It spoke to me. [On a superficial level, you look great in black with your hair growing out – stunning.] This is a tough journey. What’s made the difference for me is the support – the vlogs, the modules, the FB presence. I could not do this alone, as past experience has shown me. Love your candor in this vlog. Super.

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  49. Karen Dowden

    Hi Susan,
    Thank you for this vlog and the deep meaning of the lifetime journey. My question is this : how does a person like me reach a point of such deep reflection and self awareness as you have ? I am just not like you , I just don’t see how this is so rich a journey , to me it is just food and I have to control it . I have never been a meditator because I just can’t hardly sit still that long . I am one who does fine by myself but really need to be around people . I am laid back and really don’t get too stressed about anything ( other than my kids, if there is something bad going on with my kids then I can be stressed ). Food has just always been my best friend. When I was 5 my mom died and I think food was my friend from that point on. I don’t know how to go down DEEP and figure any of this out. It is just not my thing. So I am a little envious of your ability to be so deep and reflective about everything in your life.

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  50. James Harless

    A baby carrot is a healthy choice. Say not a donut off your food plan, not a baby carrot off. Or a small snicker bar off your plan. Oh well. J

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  51. Marlene

    What is bright line eating exactly? What would I be signing up for in a boot camp or a 14 day challenge?
    Some information please.

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  52. Virginia Peng

    Thank you Susan!
    I have so been feeling this recently. I have struggled after finishing the October 2015 bootcamp because of just emotional issues in life. I am still in Brightlifers working to get the automaticity and deal with simple life issues. However, it is about how I will keep doing this for the rest of my life. Each day, month, year there are new issues that life is thrown at us. That emotional crutch in the brain still immediately indicates the NMF or simply food and we learn to find the alternatives. Thank you for sharing this so pertinent subject and for making this journey possible.

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  53. Christina

    Such a valuable vlog !!! thank you so much Susan💖

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  54. Lauri

    Haven’t actually started BLE, but with every vlog, something sparks that this is for me. May be just that Susan seems to speak directly to me and says things I’ve thought but never knew how to do anything about. In this vlog, when Susan said you can put aside drugs and never think about them, but food is in your face all day every day, I literally yelped! That’s exactly it and exactly why I need the BLE program.

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  55. Cat

    Susan, have you considered that retiring from teaching university, and talking to students on a daily basis about the Psychology of Eating, kept you cheat free, because you were constantly reinforcing your message not only to your class but to yourself. When I retired (from an executive high pressure job) even though I was excited about it, I felt lost at sea. My husband own his company and continued to put in long days, still does, and I gained a lot of weight, through somehow feeling that I wasn’t accomplishing or contributing anything, I lost interest in many things and replaced it with food, and ultimately didn’t want to see my old friends, as I was embarrassed . You are accomplishing your dream, but I think the face to face daily meeting and the commitment to your students helped you a lot. Being on line or talking on the phone is less satisfying You don’t get the chance to read facial expressions, and therefore in the past few years you have justified the occasional, very occasional cheat. Sometimes what we do is totally unconscious that we don’t realize what we ve done until we’ve done it. You are under huge pressures as the founder of BLE, and make a huge difference to so many of us. Thank you.

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  56. Jeri Hector

    Definitely one of the best vlogs you’ve done Susan. I have only been following you for a short period of time but have spent a lifetime struggling with addictions and when you fall in the shitter, you have to get up and start over.

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  57. Judith Christian

    Susan….thank you from my heart for this vlog. It was superlative in so many ways. I gave me so much clarity in how to address others when they call it a “diet”. It has taken me a whole year to detox from the flour and sugar and has been worth every day living without. It really has turned out to be an inside job…….to find other ways to deal with aloneness, socializing, creating the life and habits I want to cultivate and this time of my life. I was very aware a year ago, when I joined BLE that you were under extreme stress and fragile. I also noticed you reaching out and making some necessary changes….I thank GOD that you got in touch with what you had to do to not only survive,…to keep the BLE movement on course. I am extremely grateful for all you do and all you are. I so appreciate the support that I have found through Bright Line Eating program.

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  58. Kimberlee Sullivan

    Perfectly Susan! “Hair on fire and balls to the wall!” Preach it, sister❤️🤣

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  59. Kathy Kennedy

    The was your best blog for me. Today I am 6 months into BLE and maintaining my 121-123 weight..my Happy weight. I have broke lines as you spoke to in your blog,..but have “Just Resumed” the next day. Being human is a good factor to recognize…knowing the Goal is the key.
    I am a Travel Agent and I travel ALOT…I carry my journals and your words of wisdom and life with me every where I go.
    Simply…Thanks

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  60. Mercedes (from Argentina)

    I love you, Susan. God bless you.

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  61. Mercedes (from Argentina)

    I love you, Susan. God bless you!

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  62. Patty Schulz

    So honest and real! So So helpful and hopeful! Thank you Susan

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