Hello fellow soul-catchers,

This week, someone I didn’t know bought The American Way of Death, a book that, unbeknownst to them, is very special to me. My dear, effervescent friend Stella gave me this book, written by her Great Aunt, Jessica Mitford, known to everyone as Decca. It’s a witty, funny, scathing take-down of the funeral industry - just what I needed, from just who I needed. 

In this time of great grief in our country, I think about the power of writing. I look at Stella’s inscription, written by hand, and sense how her fingers once touched and held this book that came out of her aunt, and marvel that someone called me and ordered this book, that was once offered to me, that I can now offer to them.

We talk and then we write. We write and then we talk. Our series Let’s Talk about the D* Word is on June 15 from 7-9 PM - join us to talk about death, decisions and dessert. Our Grief Support Group, led by Sonya Farrell, LMSW, is on Monday, June 6 (and every first Monday following).

Another thing I want to share with you? The Yaddo podcast where Sheila Heti talks about grief and Lauren Groff reflects on writing, and on writing by hand, “If it’s going really well, the ideas come directly out of the body … I actually feel swallowed up.”

With that, I hope something goes really well for you this coming month, and comes directly out of you and into the world,

Erica

PS: If you are new to this newsletter and wondering what on earth I’m doing, view my intro newsletter here.