An Evening of Glitter and Glue

Kelly and me - yes, it was Ash Wednesday!

I had the pleasure of meeting New York Times best-selling author Kelly Corrigan last month at a book signing.  She had over 200 women crying we were laughing so hard!  Her talk about parenting spanned from the drudgery to the miracles, and even included a discussion on Kegels...that's all I'll say!  Kelly has a relatable, insightful and fresh voice.  I am looking forward to reading her newest book, Glitter and Glue.  

Glitter and Glue is a memoir about the span of five months when Kelly nannied for a newly widowed father and his two children.  Kelly had thought her mother would simply stay in the background of her life after she left home, but now she found that "...her mother's voice was suddenly everywhere, nudging and advising, cautioning and directing, escorting her through a terrain as foreign as any she had ever trekked."  

Our perspective on our parents certainly changes as we age and parent ourselves - this is normal and expected.  But Kelly got an unexpected early glimpse of this while nannying. She described having a conflictual relationship with her mother, but as time went on, a new appreciation and understanding for her began to bubble up.  "This is a book about fathers and mothers, whom we admire and why, and how that changes over time." 

The book signing helped raise over $10,000 for a New York metro non-profit that I wanted to raise awareness about too:  Good Grief.  Good Grief provides support to children, teens, and young adults after the death of a mom, dad, or sibling.  In other words, they help families suffering from life-altering loss.  With centers in Morristown and Princeton New Jersey, they support hundreds of families from over 150 communities.  What I like best is that their care is free and available for as long as a family needs their help.  They build relationships with hurting families that last for three years on average.  

If you know of someone in need of grief assistance in their area, or if you would like to find out more about this agency, you can visit them at www.good-grief.org.  

Thank you, Kelly, for a fun and meaningful night!

The quotes above are from the back book cover.