Eighty Years Of Love, Loss, Laughter, And Letting Go

Love, loss, laughter, and letting go are the four pillars of human existence. They shape our lives, define our experiences, and guide our paths. It is a journey that spans over eighty years, filled with incredible stories of joy, sorrow, growth, and resilience. Throughout this odyssey, we encounter countless moments of profound emotions that shape the very essence of who we are as individuals.

Love, the sweet elixir that binds souls together, is an emotion that transcends time and space. It begins with the innocent love we experience in our childhood, the love between parents and children, and the friendships that form the foundation of our social interactions. As we grow older, we embark on romantic journeys that fill our hearts with passion and desire. Love teaches us about vulnerability, trust, and the beauty of opening our hearts to another person. Some love stories last a lifetime, while others become lessons in letting go.

Loss, on the other hand, is an inevitable part of the human experience. It can come in various forms - the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, or even the loss of a dream. Each loss leaves an indelible mark on our souls, forcing us to confront our deepest fears and find the strength to move forward. Through loss, we learn the importance of resilience, adaptation, and the power of healing. It is through loss that we realize our own strength and discover the beauty of life that continues to blossom even in the face of adversity.

Openhearted: Eighty Years of Love, Loss, Laughter and Letting Go

by Ann Ingle (Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1972 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	266 pages

FREE

Laughter, the universal language of joy, is a powerful tool that fills our lives with happiness and lightness. It brings us moments of respite from the challenges we face and reminds us of the beauty in simply being alive. Laughter connects people, evokes positive emotions, and fuels our spirits. Whether it is a hearty laugh with friends, a giggle shared with a loved one, or a chuckle at a hilarious joke, laughter has the power to uplift our souls and remind us that life is meant to be enjoyed.

Letting go, the bittersweet act of releasing what no longer serves us, is an essential step in our journey towards self-discovery and growth. It involves freeing ourselves from past traumas, toxic relationships, and limiting beliefs. Letting go allows us to make space for new experiences, relationships, and opportunities. It is an act of courage that requires us to trust in ourselves and in the universe. Letting go enables us to move forward with clarity, grace, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Over the span of eighty years, we navigate through a maze of love, loss, laughter, and letting go. These experiences shape us, mold us, and refine us. Each individual's journey will be unique, filled with highs and lows, twists and turns. However, the common thread that connects us all is our shared humanity - the yearning for love, the pain of loss, the joy of laughter, and the courage to let go.

In the end, it is this beautiful tapestry of emotions and experiences that make life worth living. It reminds us of the complexity and depth of the human spirit, and the incredible resilience we possess. Eighty years may seem like a long time, but it is within these years that we truly learn to love, heal from loss, find joy in laughter, and embrace the power of letting go.

Openhearted: Eighty Years of Love, Loss, Laughter and Letting Go

by Ann Ingle (Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1972 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	266 pages

FREE

SHORTLISTED FOR TWO IRISH BOOK AWARDS

'Something they don't tell you about getting older is that you fall. Oh, you hear about it in passing, of course, "She had a fall, poor thing". Falling is not something you ever think about as a younger woman. You think about falling in love . . .'

At 20 Londoner Ann Ingle fell madly in love with an Irish fellow she met on holiday in Cornwall. At the church to arrange their shotgun wedding she discovered that he hadn't even told her his real name.

Sixty-odd years later Ann looks back on that first glorious fall and in a series of essays considers what she has learned from the life that followed - bringing eight children into the world, their father's years of mental illness and tragic death at 40, being a cash-strapped single mother in 1980s Dublin, coming into her own in her middle years - going to college, working and writing, and continuing to evolve and learn into her ninth decade, even as she accepts the realities of being 'old'.

Candid about everything that matters - love, sex, heartbreak, money, class, religion, mental health, rearing children (and letting them go), reading and writing, ageing - Open-Hearted is a compelling story about living life in a spirit of curiosity and delight and with a willingness to look for good in others.

_________________________________

'By some distance the most courageous, most poignant, most life-affirming memoir I've read in the last twenty years and more' Paul Howard

'Genuinely inspirational. I LOVE ANN INGLE' Marian Keyes

'What a beautiful openhearted, at times broken-hearted memoir ... honest, funny, searingly direct, a wonderful voice ... remarkable' Joe Duffy

'Really beautiful. Searingly honest, astonishingly frank and very, very funny' Maia Dunphy