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Finding A Write Way to Journey through Grief with Maryanne O’Hara
Manage episode 320628458 series 2980544
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Author, grieving mother, quotidian philosopher and optimist, Maryanne O’Hara, joins Yuliana on the podcast today. A remarkably accomplished individual, Maryanne has earned her MFA from Emerson College, taught creative writing at both Enerson and Clark University, and has written short stories, the novel CASCADE, and the memoir LITTLE MATCHES. She has also suffered the loss of her beloved daughter, Caitlin, to cystic fibrosis, and today she shares with us her phoenix tale of dealing with this tragic loss, and how she coped with her grief by writing about grief itself.
Maryanne begins by describing the event that changed the course of her life; her daughter’s death. She talks about the grief journey and how she immersed herself in writing a memoir in real time, while still stricken with grief. She goes on to discuss how, propelled by Caitlin’s life and death, she has been seeking answers to life’s big questions. The episode rounds off with Maryanne sharing the one song that best describes her life - 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives' by Queen.
Episode Highlights:
- The tragic event that redirected the course of Maryanne’s life
- Battling with cystic fibrosis
- The challenge of having a chronic illness at a young age
- A grief journey of 5 years and counting
- Writing Caitlin’s memoir in real-time
- A new purpose
- The impact of Caitlin’s illness and death on the family
- Finding closure at the end of writing the book
- Recording the audiobook
- Life’s big questions
- A unique way of honoring Caitlin’s life
- The one song that best describes Maryanne’s life
Quotes:
“Life could change on a dime.”
“Chronic illness breeds chronic anxiety”
“I realized that writing the personal was the only thing that mattered at that point. And that gave me a purpose for the next few years.”
“Answers are necessary, and I need to find answers for myself. ”
“Synchronicities do exist.”
“Is it really that much of a stretch to think there's at least one level of reality higher than this? I don't think so.”
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