dear mom and dad

hi from up here in seat 22a.

Yup, Air France. We landed on Alex's 54th birthday. I call it his Studio 54 year. Time to party and dance and have some fun. It's Lauren's birthday too. How crazy that my eldest daughter and your eldest daughter were both drawn to the very same Gemini energy. Coincidence? I think not.

Mom, it has been 33 years this week since you are gone. I did the bad grief math. That is 396 months and over 1,721 weeks. Seems fitting we were heading to a beach! This is one you may never have touched. Not sure you have ever been to Cannes. It's for Al's work and a bit early for his bday. I am tagging along and hope to bring some grief talk to the party. It's a slew of ad and marketing folks. Awards. And bold faced influencers and creatives. It's called Cannes Lions. I am trying to get grief on the stage. Let's see how it goes.

This week was a big one for The Memory Circle. Book meetings. An NPR interview and very viral Knicks post I made after leaning into the electricity of game 4.

You had to be watching from the best seats in the house!  I loved how Brunson and KAT did their part in bringing grief to the world. The people they were missing got the ultimate post game shout outs and skyward prayers and thanks. Grief and hoops. Go figure.

Dad, this is Father's Day number 2 within you. Arggg. I got you a card. I am trying that on to see how it feels to write you on Sunday.  Maybe I will also order a to-go in your name! I love when they call out Ellen and Neil for my BEC or iced coffee. Livin’ on the rituals.

Mom all of the women on the recent Motherless Daughter's retreat were all 50+.  I got to work alongside Hope Edelman again. Insane, right? Thank goodness her book showed up the year after you died. She was the only one talking about what I was feeling.

Anyhoo. I was telling a story about how I call you Grandma Ellen to the kids. Danna does too. It seemed like something everyone might do to remember their loved ones, even if they were never a grandma or grampsy.  A whole group of the women promised to give this a try with their kids. Really warmed my heart.

Danna and I saw a stunning interactive play with Mariska Hargitay, Every Brilliant Thing. So moving. Clever. Interactive and heart searing. Only three more weeks. I am telling everyone to go.

We got tickets to see Rosie and her new one woman show. You would both love it.

Do you two hang out?  Are you with all the pets? Ever see Rocco and Fluffy? How about Calico and Sadie? Bow Bow and Jackson? I have to assume pets mingle with their people.

How is Dad doing as the new guy? I heard he was golfing. That is what my medium friend Cindy said. She said the illness is gone on the other side. I have to believe this for you both.

I thought many they might be skipping the usual Father’s Day hub bub here. But no. Already saw windows announcing “Cool Dad”. And cards. So this year it’s in French, Papa. Seems fitting to be at an ad convention. Your head would spin at the state of the ad biz Dad. Maybe all the brilliant dead folks are actually running AI. That is how I might like to imagine it.

Ok, setting up our little French apartment for the week. A day off before the big start. Love you both. Miss you. Keep sending the signs. It’s one of those harder than usually weeks. Mostly it's because you were you. And that makes me luckier than most. Au revoir. For now.