Merry Christmas, Uncle Joe!

My sister had been telling me just how many books that Maureen had in her life, and that it seems to grow as everyone sorts and takes some away. I am eternally grateful that you reached out and are allowing me to take a couple boxes upstate. She truly would love the journey that her books are about to embark!

When my mom called me a couple years ago to inform me of Maureen’s passing, it felt like a dagger in my heart. Maureen and you were always a constant at family gatherings, from Easter to Christmas to summer hangouts at Uncle Pat’s house. And it truly hurts that, at least for the past decade, I never was able to connect with you all.

As I am learning from my dark, scary but uplifting experiences recently, I had a chemical imbalance in my brain related to serotonin, causing uncontrollable, at times, anxiety and depression from the time I was a teenager until this year. I hid it well, or at least as well I could to appear normal.

When alcohol was introduced into my life, I felt freedom from my anxiety and depression. But I know now that it was a slippery slope before the pushing down of emotions would cause real harm.

I am super glad that I walked into the hospital and learned all the things that were opaque to me in order to slowly repair the damage. I feel more confident and at peace than ever before.

Wish you lots of love and happiness into the new year. No matter what happens, I will continue to communicate the best I can, even from far away. Though I am excited at the prospect of you coming up to visit at our home!

We were incredibly fortunate to get a place just before interest rates skyrocketed. My mom’s friend, Brian, even helped us create some natural stone steps on our property that leads to part of the city’s canal. Maureen would have loved it; as long as we made sure to put in some railings.

Lots of love, Sean 💕