Proud Author🌈

June 5 was the third annual Pride celebration in my little suburb. I volunteered at the first one and attended last year’s event. But this year was the best yet—not only because it was well attended, but I had a booth to talk to people and sell my book! It was a blast!

Ignore the misspelling of my name on the placard…which is all you can see now, isn’t it?!

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of this event and others like it this month. It’s with age that you learn to appreciate our differences as well as our similarities. And this year—like every other pride event I’ve been to—was a complete love fest. Kindness, camaraderie, and caring defined the entire event from start to finish.

Of course, it was even better because I had Pam, who is “the manager,” join me on the adventure, and then we were joined later by my girl Nikki and her husband Jeff. It was a family affair!

L to R: Family: Pam, Nikki, Jeff, Me

I’ve buried the lead here, but during the event, I sold 10 books! I was floored and so grateful to the people who stopped by and were interested enough to purchase one. It’s an interesting “sell” to talk about grief, but it’s my mission to normalize it. It should be a part of everyday conversations. In fact, if you talk about someone who isn’t here any longer, then you’re doing it already.

More than anything, this event felt like something Ken would have relished. He loved getting our friends together for something fun, and he was even better at engaging with people. He never met a stranger—something I’m working on for myself.

After we packed up and went home, I was sitting on my patio, cooling Hudson off with the hose and reflecting on the day, the book, my life. It felt calm and serene. I’ve intentionally built a life I’m proud of, filled with old friends, new friends, and tail wags.

I thought about how I’ve changed since I met Ken 25 years ago. Certainly wiser (hopefully). More patient in some ways, but less in others. I don’t tolerate self-pity or suffer fools. But through it all has been the through line of friendship, connection, and community. He’d be proud of what I’ve built.

I know I am.

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The Luck We Carry is available now as a signed copy at ronstempkowski.com, or grab a copy from anywhere books are sold online. If someone in your life is navigating grief, loss, or reinvention, it might be exactly what they need.

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