"Afterthoughts" presents an unforgettable journey into the world of adolescence as seen through the eyes of a high school counselor. Each and every day, a very special someone enters the counselor's office, knowing that it will be a safe haven to bare his or her soul. It is behind those closed doors that tears fall, heartfelt stories unfold, and answers to life's most difficult questions begin to unravel. From the fourteen-year-old boy struggling with alcoholic parents to the young girl continuing to fight her addictions; these are emotional journeys that will affect all who read them deeply. As a way of saying thank you to all those who have opened their hearts to her, author and school counselor Mrs. D. shares a journal created especially for them, presented in poetry and prose. "A Familiar Voice Amidst the chaotic confusion, the office phone rings. Years have passed since the dismal dark voice on the other end So frantically fought back thoughts of taking her life. She speaks softly, slowly, tearfully, of today's breakup. She silently suffers within her own world of sadness. With a tearful tone, she speaks of him And their connection, The indescribable innocence they shared together. Can she sustain the painful prison of being alone?"