NEW ROCHELLE, NY — How can we continue to celebrate loved ones whose lives have profoundly touched and inspired ours, months or years after their deaths? Loss survivor and author Allison Gilbert has written the first “how-to” book for remembering those who will never be forgotten, with affection and joy. For the launch of her groundbreaking work, Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive, Gilbert is taking her mission of joyful remembrance to the New Rochelle Public Library for the first Memory Bash on her nationwide tour. The free event, followed by a book-signing, will be held on Sunday, April 10th from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm, in the library’s Ossie Davis Theater.
A Memory Bash offers a fresh and fun opportunity to reflect on the lives, legacies, and gifts of those who have passed away in the company of others drawn to do the same. Gathered together, readers will learn new ways to preserve a loved one’s handwriting, favorite words, and most reminiscent recipes to sharing short stories about their loved ones and what made them so special. It’s just one of the many creative ideas Gilbert includes in Passed and Present. Taking readers far beyond the initial stages of grief, the book is not about sadness and mourning; it is about happiness and remembering. Within its beautifully illustrated pages, anyone determined to hold onto what they most loved about their loved ones will find eighty-five innovative, inspiring ideas. Being proactive about remembering loved ones has a powerful and unexpected benefit—the more we incorporate memories into our lives and embrace the people who have passed, the happier and more fulfilled we are in the present.
Allison Gilbert is the author of the critically acclaimed books Parentless Parents and Always Too Soon. She is a frequent guest expert on CNN, FOX, MSNBC, ABC, and NPR, and her writing has appeared in numerous publications and websites, including CNN.com, the New York Times, The Daily Beast, and Huffington Post. She lives in New York with her husband and two children.