It was an honor to be invited by Rabbi J. Schwartz to speak to the Congregation of Temple Emanu-el in Atlanta on March 19th about The Unveiling and family experiences that inspired the book.
The sanctuary is lovely and the first part of the service was inspiring and joyful. The Rabbi then introduced me, explaining that she found my book moving and provocative. She mentioned that I was the aunt of Bobby Harris, a highly respected member of the congregation.
When I began to speak, and mentioned how pleased I was to be there with Bobby and his family, I almost choked up. I remembered him as a baby, the faces of his proud parents and the many years our families enjoyed spending special occasions together. I moved on and quickly began talking about the book, so I could keep it together. It was amazing how attentive everyone was.
Following my 20 minute presentation, a number of people had questions. It soon became clear that mental illness in families is a serious issue that many are grappling with. Some people waited to speak to me privately about their own family experiences. I will be writing separate blogs discussing some of the questions that people raised.
Looking back I realize that the trip to Atlanta was an exceptional experience, not because of the number of books I sold, but because of the people I met and the issues they raised. Getting to spend time with Bobby and his family was a bonus. And the warmth and hospitality of Maxine and Jon Schein, my son’s in-laws, made everything move along as smoothly as possible. I can't end the blog without mentioning
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