Maryann Hartzell-Curran

from We to Me


Birthdays

My Dearest Grandchild,

first_birthdayToday, I want to share some birthday party stories with you.  Starting with your first birthday party, my memories are happy when I think about the celebrations.

The day we celebrated your first party, your parents, Jack and I decorated the clubhouse near your home.  Pink balloons, pink presents and pink cake created an aura of joy.  As the people, including your Mimi, Nini and cousins arrived with some of your neighbors, you ran to the door almost escorting them to the festivities.  As Jack said later, he had never seen a person enjoy their first party as much as you did!  Now that is a compliment!

Your parents have had a birthday picture taken of you each year.  When you could, you held up the number of that year’s birthday.  This year it was nine!  Hard to believe because it seems like yesterday when you arrived into the world!

I remember your 7th birthday party.  You had really started to like horses, so the party was held at a little farm not too far from your home.  All of your guests, including your Dad, wore pink cowboy hats, ate pink birthday cake and brought pink presents to your celebration.  Everyone got a chance to ride a horse around the barn riding rink and even groom the horses with assorted combs.  There were only smiles as I looked around the crowd.  It was really fun!

When I was growing up, my mom, your great-grandmother, planned parties with a Halloween theme.  Then when I was sixteen, she baked a beautiful three tiered cake frosted with whipped cream and decorated with large, juicy red strawberries.  Then when I was twenty-one, we celebrated with champagne toasts and angel food cake dripping in hot fudge.  We had a fondue supper where we dipped cake speared onto a sharp fork into melted chocolate.  Delicious!

A party we had for your Dad, was centered on Superman!  All of the cups, plates and the cake had that theme of red and blue making a very colorful party!  That was his eighth birthday.  On his twelfth, he received a new watch from his grandparents.  As you know, his birthday is near Christmastime.  He proudly wore his watch under his Shepherd costume in the church pageant.  I think he was the only one who knew the exact time the play started and ended thanks to this new addition to his jewelry collection.  On his 21st birthday, Uncle Bob toasted him in an awesome bar in Denver while we were visiting. Great skiing that year except your Dad and Papa Hartzell got lost coming down Mary-Jane Mountain on Christmas Eve. It was a relief when they finally found their way but still a great birthday memory.

So, my dearest Grandchild, birthdays are for celebrating your life but most important for people to celebrate YOU!  Enjoy these parties, cherish all who attend and know that love surrounds you as you grow older.  In fact, when you are very old, LOVE will be the most important ingredient in the recipe of life

I will always CELEBRATE YOU my dearest child,

Love you,

 

Mamie

Thank you to all my followers and greetings to my new ones. Many of you were introduced to my work after reading my first book, FROM WE TO ME…letters to my friend. This was published in the fall of 2013 and has enjoyed some success. Many of those who have read the book have written encouraging comments, saying it was helpful to those who are experiencing grief.

And now…. I’m introducing my second book, From Me to We. Lots of people have asked me why I wrote it, and it’s because I wanted to share my years after the first year, detailed in From We to Me, with readers. I always emphasize that my experiences are just that… mine… and hopefully they will open people’s eyes inviting them to have similar ones. I keep my sense of humor throughout the book but also emphasize how difficult a lot of days were without my husband. Written in three parts, Section One, is how I grew up,  after the death of my husband, Section Two, the beginning of my socializing again, Section Three… taking a chance, falling in love and marrying again.  The stories are candid and the information honest and straightforward.  I’m hoping the book will help lots of people.

I continue to write my Overcoming Grief Blog and have written many stories on my Facebook page. Reading your responses has touched me deeply and given me a nudge to keep on writing. I invite you to spend some time exploring the resources and ideas within my website:

– If you’re looking for a gift for someone who has recently lost their spouse, my first book From We to Me is an ideal way to offer comfort.

– Feeling down and need some inspiration? Read some of my short stories based on experiences with my grief groups as well as personal experience in the Overcoming Grief blog section.

– Did you know I lead grief groups? I am a professional who speaks from the heart. Whether you are looking to start a grief group series or you want her to speak at your next event, contact us. I can bring wisdom and humor to those who need it most.

– If you enjoy sharing tidbits about your childhood with your grandchildren, you may enjoy some of my memoirs posted in Letters to my Granddaughter. I know a lot of you will relate to these letters, and I invite you to write your own.

SO…Welcome to you all. Thank you for all of your support over the years as I made my transition FROM WE TO ME and then FROM ME TO WE.

Listen to Maryann on The Author’s Show Podcast

What people are saying about "From Me to We"

This is a journey of courage; one that we will all travel someday.

"I have known Mary for almost 25 years and have read many of her manuscripts. From We to Me is...

~ Dr. Lynn Deegan, Psy. D.

Maryann Hartzell-Curran
2019-05-01T11:46:04-04:00

~ Dr. Lynn Deegan, Psy. D.

"I have known Mary for almost 25 years and have read many of her manuscripts. From We to Me is by far the most beautiful of her works. She painstakingly shares her memories of the first 365 days of her life as a widow, including moving events most of us would be too embarrassed to reveal.  I recommend this to not only those who have lost a loved one, but to anyone who is afraid to feel.  This is a journey of courage; one that we will all travel someday.”

Thank you again for your beautiful gift.

“I’ve read 38 letters…I am taking my time and reading few each night enjoying each letter. I always find something...

~ Nanette

Maryann Hartzell-Curran
2019-05-01T11:46:35-04:00

~ Nanette

“I’ve read 38 letters…I am taking my time and reading few each night enjoying each letter. I always find something that I can relate to in losing my parents and even my cat, KitKat.  Yesterday was 11 months since Dad had died and I found myself getting out of bed last night and going into his room to talk to him. I love the story of JT and Kelly walking in your footprints…how wonderful. Thank you again for your beautiful gift.”

She is honest and that is what most of us need…

"What makes FROM WE TO ME different than other books on grief is the openness of the author and her...

~ Neal

Maryann Hartzell-Curran
2019-05-01T11:47:04-04:00

~ Neal

"What makes FROM WE TO ME different than other books on grief is the openness of the author and her honesty with her feelings. Not kid gloves but boxing gloves are a good way to illustrate how she treats the elements of her loss e.g. anger, fear and regret. She is honest and that is what most of us need when a loss inflicts pain on our “perfect” worlds. Thank you Maryann.”

Her words spoke to me, reassuring me…

“I loved Maryann’s first book for many reasons -- the main one that when I read it, my husband of...

~ Patricia B.

Maryann Hartzell-Curran
2019-05-01T11:48:26-04:00

~ Patricia B.

“I loved Maryann’s first book for many reasons -- the main one that when I read it, my husband of 55 years had just died. Her words spoke to me reassuring me that my feelings were a lot like hers and my day to day walk alone was comforted by God’s love. I can’t wait to read the new book because I have started dating and have lots of questions. I know she will cover that in her new book, FROM ME TO WE.”
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Maryann Hartzell-Curran