TEXARKANA MONTHLY
We can see some of them coming and therefore steady ourselves as we prepare for the impact. However, some of them show up out of nowhere, surprising us with no rhyme or reason, offering us a choice. On some level, we may actually seek challenges. We want to learn and grow, and it seems life’s most effective tool for growth appears in the form of our experiences. But with these, what do we co-create with that reality? What awareness do we develop because of it? What glimpse of our highest self does this give us? Dr. Wayne Dyer shares, “With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.” Dr. Kyle Groom was born in 1969 in Texarkana, Texas, to Lynda and Don Groom. Don worked as an electrician in air conditioning and refrigeration and as a LIFE IS FULL OF CHALLENGES.
maintenance man at a local paper mill. Lynda was a stay-at-home mom. “Dad worked a lot, so I spent quite a bit of time with my mom and both sets of my grandparents when I was young,” said Groom. “Both grandfathers had been farmers, so I loved to spend time with them. They both were retired and took the time to teach me a lot.” His great-aunt, Mary, also lived with them. She was a retired registered surgical scrub nurse who also taught nursing. She was widowed and had no living children of her own. “She always encouraged me to pursue my dreams.” Groom’s family lived in Texarkana until they purchased land from his grandparents and moved to DeKalb, Texas, his sophomore year of high school. “I loved being in DeKalb because all my friends and family were there,” he says. “I was an average student. I enjoyed football and Taekwondo.” At age 15, he met Leann Barrett at a high school basketball game. “She struck me immediately
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COMMUNITY & CULTURE
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