I’ve decided to start a series sharing poignant memories from my childhood that didn’t seem to fit in my memoir Best Life After.

Writing memories in Best Life After to transport others into my lived experience taught me how much I was intellectualizing my life rather than feeling it. Writing them in detail helped me grieve and feel and heal. Because of that I believe this series will be immensely therapeutic for me… and possibly you as well.

There most likely won’t be any rhyme, reason, or order to the memories… but they will be cathartic nonetheless, and I do hope you enjoy.

Some stories will be funny. Some will be sad. Others may be shocking. All of them will be my truth from my lived experience and not up for debate. I add that last part because my family doesn’t always approve of how I remember them. And yet… what I write is how I remember them nonetheless and my experiences are not lies. They are my point of view.

I want to write about my Papa…

About a bath with my mom. I think I was an infant. I’m not even sure this memory is real.

I want to write about playing carefree as a kid in Port Byron, NY.

I’d like to share stories of almost setting the apartment on fire and living over a bar.

Stories about my parents…

Stories about being raised by my grandmother…

And I want these stories to show the good and the bad. The nuance of humanity. That even the “villain” can be endearing. And how life is complicated.

But mostly I want to help myself heal more. To get out of my head. To feel and process.

And like I said before… I hope you enjoy.

Stay tuned!