Renee Gatz was born and raised in New Jersey, the oldest of three girls and had always been taken by the strength of character and conviction that her parents displayed. They seemed to navigate through life by holding true to their core beliefs. Those beliefs were most often exhibited by their example but were also exhibited in the expressions they used to keep life in perspective, to remind them of what was important and to laugh at foolishness so as not to take life too seriously.
In her early growing years, Gatz did not appreciate the power of the expressions her parents spoke but as she grew was amazed at how these expressions would come back to her to provide clarity, understanding or a laugh at just the right moment.
Many of the expressions she learned growing up were passed on to her through her mother who learned them from her mother, Gatz’s grandmother. Gatz’s grandmother was a woman of strength and good humor who immigrated alone at the age of 18 to the United States from Ireland in the steerage section of a ship that landed in Ellis Island.
Gatz’s late father was a man of few words who relied more on the power of his actions to express himself but nonetheless is credited with teaching Gatz some important life lessons through the use of expression and some sarcastic repartee as well.
Gatz was motivated to share these expressions based on the positive response she would receive when she would mention one in conversation, the surprise that an expression she had heard her entire life was new to someone and her natural desire to communicate those great thoughts with others.
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