Finding Me

WE ARE EACH PRESENTED WITH OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE, how we respond to them can make a world of difference in both our material circumstances and our overall well-being. Finding "Me" proves just that. This autobiography traces the life of Inocencia Tupas Malunes from her birthplace in the rural Philippines to landed immigrant in Vancouver, Canada. While this is not a particularly unusual journey these days, Ms. Malunes' story explores and demonstrates her willingness to seize opportunity wherever it might appear and to extract value where many would fail to see it.

Ms. Malunes saw opportunity in a canning factory, in sewing curtains and cushion covers, in working as a domestic and as a nanny, in apprenticeships, and in hotel housekeeping. Along the way, prosperity grew, and Ms. Malunes flourished. In the process, a glorious variety of people passed through her life. Inocencia found friends and companions in each development.

Despite some daunting challenges, she seems always to have fun-even when the fun is something as ordinary as cooking a meal or caring for a loved one. Undergirding all of her abilities and attitudes are her fundamental beliefs in hard work, treating people fairly, and a universal oneness that can help each of us find our way. Finding "Me" is the captivating tale of an anything-but-ordinary woman.