137. Shame, Suicide, and Sushi with Charlotte Maya

What Lights You Up

"It’s okay to have a glitchy conversation. I would rather have a glitchy, imperfect conversation than no conversation at all."

Charlotte's husband and the father of her children didn't give her that option in 2007. He simply opted out of a family outing on a typical Saturday and said he was going to take a nap. Only that's not at all what he did. That's the opening of her newly released memoir. What unfolds from that point in time is how Charlotte became a single mother navigating her own grief alongside her young children. She very plainly explains what death is while she speaks truth to her young boys in a community where "everyone knows." They whisper on the sidelines and eventually it does come back to her. What are they saying about him and about us? Do I allow their judgments to impact me? How do I express my own grief while guiding two young boys to do the same? Charlotte's memoir is about as raw and real as it gets. In this episode, we break down the deeper contexts of this story and how it is indeed possible to heal even while carrying a hole in your heart - for life. Charlotte's children refer to her as a walking trigger warning, so 'nuff said. If you're brave enough to press play on this episode, you likely already know what you're in for. And if you really want to understand the sushi reference, we'll break that down in ways I didn't even expect! Purchase Sushi Tuesdays wherever books are sold (shout out to the local indie bookstores, always). Connect with Charlotte:

IG @charlottemayawriter Twitter @charlottemaya1 FB @sushituesdays https://charlotte-maya.com Connect with Sunny: https://linktr.ee/iamsunny

Music: Pieces of Light by Trevor Mack