I Am My Mother's Daughter: Wisdom on Life, Loss, and Love

by Dara Kurtz

Overview



For most of her adult life, Dara Kurtz kept a Ziploc bag of letters written by her mother who passed away from cancer when she was twenty-eight years old. The bag also included other letters written by her long-departed grandmothers. These letters gave Dara a glimpse into their lives and personalities at the time the letters were written. They offered her so much wisdom and relevance and taught her so many beautiful, life lessons that Dara decided to share their story, the incredible love between Jewish mothers and daughters, and the wisdom passed on from one generation to the next. As a mother, Dara has passed down these family traditions and wisdom to her two daughters, who now carry on the legacy contained in the Ziploc bag bridging the generations of women in their family. She unexpected discovered that this is best done through the lens of love and through the hand-written word.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781942134664
Publisher:	Mandel Vilar Press
Publication date:	05/08/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	836 KB

About the Author

DARA KURTZ, after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of forty-two, left her twenty-year career as a personal banker and financial advisor to focus on writing, speaking, and podcasting. Today her personal blog, Crazy Perfect Life (www.crazyperfectlife.com), reaches over 180,000 followers. Dara is the author of two books, Crush Cancer: Personal Enlightenment from a Cancer Survivor and Crush Cancer Workbook. Dara’s goal is to use her life experiences to help people strengthen their relationships and create more happiness and joy in their everyday lives.
Dara Kurtz is the author of two books: "Crush Cancer: Personal Enlightenment from a Cancer Survivor" (2017) and "Crush Cancer Workbook. (2017). Her personal blog, "Crazy Perfect Life," reaches over 180,000 followers across the globe through her website and social media. She is a frequent contributor to "The Huffington Post" and is a columnist for "Forsyth Woman Magazine." In addition to writing, Dara shares her inspirational words by speaking at events for medical centers and civic groups. She also provides individualized mentoring for those learning to cope with their own cancer diagnoses. Dara lives in Lewisville, North Carolina with her husband, Jon, and their two daughters, Zoe and Avi. Visit Dara online at www.crazyperfectlife.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 You Never Know What You Might Find Stuffed in a Drawer 3

Chapter 2 The Circle of Life 17

Chapter 3 Wisdom from the Past 33

Chapter 4 If I Found One Journal, Surely I Could Find Another 45

Chapter 5 Life Got Messy 59

Chapter 6 Thank Goodness I Saved the Letters 75

Chapter 7 You're Going to Summer Camp 87

Chapter 8 You Can't Hide from Grief 101

Chapter 9 You Need a Nice Jewish Boy 115

Chapter 10 Living with Loss 125

Chapter 11 Letting Go of Perfectionism 139

Chapter 12 Letting Go of Things 151

Chapter 13 Writing a Letter to Your Loved Ones 161

Chapter 14 Start Your Own Sharing Journal 181

Chapter 15 Living All Through the Lens of Love 193

What People are Saying About This

“This book will help you take an honest look at the landscape of your life, what you truly want, and then help you figure out how to get it. It’s the chance to hit the reset button.” —Erin Falconer, New York Times bestselling author of How to Get Sh*t Done

“Dara isn’t afraid to admit her mistakes or own her past. She shows us we can’t be truly happy until we’re honest and accepting of ourselves. This is both refreshing and inspiring.” —Maimah Karmo, Founder of Tigerlily Foundation, Publisher of Bliss Magazine

“Readers will be moved to think with intention and purpose and make mindful decisions that can positively impact and strengthen their relationships for the rest of their lives.” —Rachel Macy Stafford, New York Times bestselling author of Live Love Now, Hands Free Mama, and Only Love Today

“Reminiscent of spending time with your own long-lost relatives, Dara Kurtz’s book is a beautiful story of love, loss and generational knowledge. This book and the stories in it are treasures for readers of any faith.” —Catherine Pearlman, PhD, author of Ignore It: How Selectively Looking the Other Way Can Decrease Behavioral Problems and Increase Parenting Satisfaction

“If you’re ready to make changes in your own life and relationships, but you don’t know how to start, this is the book for you.” —Karin Hehenberger, MD, PhD, CEO, and Founder of Lyfebulb

Maimah Karmo

“This book will help you take an honest look at the landscape of your life, what you truly want, and then help you figure out how to get it. It’s the chance to hit the reset button.” —Erin Falconer, New York Times bestselling author of How to Get Sh*t Done

“Dara isn’t afraid to admit her mistakes or own her past. She shows us we can’t be truly happy until we’re honest and accepting of ourselves. This is both refreshing and inspiring.” —Maimah Karmo, Founder of Tigerlily Foundation, Publisher of Bliss Magazine

“Readers will be moved to think with intention and purpose and make mindful decisions that can positively impact and strengthen their relationships for the rest of their lives.” —Rachel Macy Stafford, New York Times bestselling author of Live Love Now, Hands Free Mama, and Only Love Today

“Reminiscent of spending time with your own long-lost relatives, Dara Kurtz’s book is a beautiful story of love, loss and generational knowledge. This book and the stories in it are treasures for readers of any faith.” —Catherine Pearlman, PhD, author of Ignore It: How Selectively Looking the Other Way Can Decrease Behavioral Problems and Increase Parenting Satisfaction

“If you’re ready to make changes in your own life and relationships, but you don’t know how to start, this is the book for you.” —Karin Hehenberger, MD, PhD, CEO, and Founder of Lyfebulb