Leighna Schmidt

Leighna grew up on a small country farm in the mid west. Her family of origin are Mennonites. She has 3 brothers and 4 sisters. Leighna is the seventh child of 8. Leighna left the religion at age 30.

After leaving the Mennonites and their way of life, she spent many years, in what she refers to as underground, her life consisted of counseling, life skills classes, learning to live on her own outside of the Mennonite culture, things like going to see a movie were new and different for her.

She has two boys 26 years of age, 20 years of age, and one daughter, age 16. Her boys are currently attending college at M.S.S.U. of Missouri, and her daughter is still in high school.

Leighna likes to write personal and heart felt stories. She is loving and open to her neighbors. She spends a lot of time helping her neighbors, giving them rides, supporting them in their life journey, sharing her phone service, listening to there personal struggles, and keeping their confidences within the confines of her 4 walls.

Many of Leighna's neighbors have been alcoholics. Her first instincts were to keep her distance from these people, but after one close encounter with a neighbor who insisted on her friendship, she has come to view these people with compassion, and in a new light. She wants to write about the unexpected gifts these suffering individuals have given her, and her own perspective and fresh outlook on issues of alcoholism. She welcomes any support or contact from other contributors. She is a new writer.

Leighna enjoys living in an apartment complex where she is always in close contact with her neighbors.