Grow Damn It!: The Feeding and Nurturing of Life

Cheryl’s writing style is both witty and relatable. I felt the corners of my mouth rise into a smile on most every page. There are also some stories that bring a lump to the throat and tear to the eye. This is a collection of short vignettes that can be read all at once or savored on the nightstand as a little treat before going to bed. Her stories are easy to relate to by everyone who has been a parent, child, sibling, spouse or grandparent. The stories make me appreciate the good in our everyday life experiences.

Grow Damn It! is a collection of essays that interlace into a memoir of moments that made me double over in laughter and turn inward, reflecting on my own life. For anyone living their second half of life, this book is for you! Cheryl tells it like it is. She doesn’t hold back, speaks the truth, and adds humor that is the perfect ingredient to make this book an enjoyable read. But along with laughter, some stories tugged at my heart, and many were relatable being around the same age as her. I also found subtle messages of wisdom to grasp and live by sprinkled throughout the turning of the pages. Her writing is so relaxed that I felt like the two of us were sitting on the patio one summer evening enjoying a glass of wine, catching up about marriage, children, grandchildren, and even dealing with loss of loved ones.I had many favorites, but to name a few, I could relate to “After You Say I Do” when she writes about her long-time marriage. Having been happily married to my husband for thirty-four years, her words truly touched home. “Life Turns On Small Choices” made me pause when I read about her finding out that her son had been in an accident – the phone call no parent wants to answer. In “Can I Tell You About My Day?” Cheryl talks about sheltering in place during the early days of the pandemic. An example of her humor begins the story, “Good, because if I don’t let it out, it’s going to escape in some other form and, at my age, excessive flatulence is unbecoming!” But setting humor aside, this story ends on a serious note with a valuable life lesson from three precious little girls.Another favorite is “Honey, I’m Home Forever” in which she inserts these lines that I agree with, “The thing is, home is not the house, or the town in which you live. It’s the people you love and the ones who love you, and it’s not just when you get together. It’s not a place but the experience of each other that creates a shelter as if bricks, one that you carry with you for your entire life, that’s home.” And yet another story that resonates since both of my parents have passed, and my father-in-law just turned 100 years old is “25 Things I Wish I had Asked My Parents.” My father-in-law still gets peppered with questions from his family, and his mind is as sharp as ever. But new questions pop up now and then that I wish I had asked my parents. I can’t help but hold a few tiny regrets.I could go on and on telling you about the stories that were special to me. All the essays form a wonderful memoir full of life, love, laughter, and tears, and yes, Growth! Highly recommended for entertainment, reflection, and for being reminded that life is meant to live fully!

As a follower of her blog, Living in the Gap, I’ve been enjoying Cheryl’s writing for a very long time and so I was thrilled to hear that she’d released her first book. Grow Damn It! nurtures my soul on so many levels with insight, generosity of spirit, enormous kindness, all embedded in colossal amounts of gifted good humor. She reminds me of how truly beautiful life can be, with lots of laughing and reminders that we, too, are good, very good, and capable of doing so many good things while we’re here.

This book made me feel like I was talking to one of my closest girlfriends while wading our way though life together. It made me really stop, think and appreciate my life including all the bumps along the road while laughing out loud! Excellent read, highly recommend !!

Beautifully written and funny. Cheryl manages to capture so many thoughts and feelings about maturing and making the most out of living the second half of life. The stories were prosaic, touching and funny! Thank you Cheryl for sharing this with us all!

We all need a friend like Cheryl. Someone that always sees the hilarity in the chaos. No matter where you are in your working life, if you are coupled up or single, these revelations speak of what many of us think are our tribulations to navigate alone.I met Cheryl at an OnBeing conference and reconnected again at a writing conference a few years later. I hold those quiet and not so quiet conversations in reverence. I am so happy that now her miracle stories and charm can be yours. Grab the book and maybe pour yourself a nice beverage of your choosing. You are with a special friend that I am happy to share with the world.

Awesome read

The way Cheryl shares her life with us through the eyes of a daughter, wife, mother, grand mother, sister, aunt, teacher, and friend… everyone can learn so much from these short enjoyable stories.It’s amazing how she shares her life stories and memories from the heart and how much others can grow by reading them. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book.

Oreglia’s debut memoir is a beautiful read. It’s personal yet relatable. It’s outrageously funny and heartbreaking, and it’s all about the challenges that life throws at us and how we grow into wisdom and love as a result. It’s one of those books that I might read on my birthday every year, to remind myself of what’s important about this one chance at life.In a series of essays, the author shares the experiences from her life that shaped her thinking and led to change, appreciation, and a deep well of love. The chaos that comes with family relationships—parents, siblings, spouses, children, and grandchildren—becomes the fodder for growth. And her storytelling is honest and full of wit. As a woman in her 60s, I could relate to almost every experience that comes with aging—from the delights of menopause to corralling grandchildren to watching those we love die.Which goes to show that not every essay in this book is laugh-out-loud funny. Many involved pain, loss, and regret. They pull on the heartstrings, sharing some tough truths—that life is temporary and things can change at the drop of a hat. Don’t waste it. Oreglia’s wisdom and advice seem to arise through quiet moments of presence when she can take a reflective breath, but she also references the words of other sages, notably John O’Donohue (Anam Cara), and writer Don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements), two of my favorite authors/books.As Oreglia says, “Show up for your own life.” That’s my new mantra. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy memoirs and the opportunity to reflect on life’s universal lessons, and perhaps grow, damn it.

‘Grow Damn it!’ is a brilliant potion, in which Oreglia blends snippets of her life – moments of joy and despondency, in equal measure. When she expresses emotions, she takes you into the depths of an ocean where breathing becomes an excruciating effort but when she talks about the lighter moments of life, she takes you beyond the clouds and you merge into their folds with perfect harmony, as if you were a part of the story being told. Such is the magic of her style of writing – informal yet effective. Warmth percolates from her words that reaches your heart effortlessly. Her bonding with the Magnolia tree, her relationship with her mother, sister and grandchildren speaks volumes about her magnanimous heart. Her reflections exude wisdom and wit. I could relate to many of her experiences.I thought ‘True Grit’ is my favorite chapter but then I read ‘Midlife, Nettles’ and found it hilarious. No! I told myself – ‘Middle-Aged Penance’ is better but wait, read ‘Can I Tell You…’ and then decide! Some of her expressions are classic! Just consider this one:“The ants are staying for dinner. Buy some bait.” (You have to read this book to know the “ants.”)“The wines are breathing much better than I am.”“My gratitude bubbles over as if my soul were a flute of fine champagne.”“There are things death cannot touch.” – how profound!Oreglia also shares some beautiful pictures of her family.I have not read a more meaningful memoir that could speak to me on an emotional level. Never have I been so drawn by a book! It beckoned me even when I was watching my favorite show. Highly recommended.

Grow Damn It! is a book composed of some of the author’s blog posts. Each one is a gem! These are beautifully written and have the power to make you laugh, revel in the shared feelings and experiences, and occasionally want to weep at the emotional setbacks. The author has lots of philosophical observations and homespun wisdom that help to make the best of the life you’ve got. The honesty is refreshing and made it easy to identify with the situations she describes.Despite some moving and heartwarming stories about her family, above all, this is a feel-good book that sparkles with wit and bubbles with happiness. I’ll definitely be buying her next one!

Each short essay covers real life issues we all face. The stories are relatable, emotional and will make you smile! A beautiful compilation of stories that remind us that life is precious and we can always find a way to laugh. Recommend wholeheartedly that you grab a copy to read!