Grow Damn It!
Is Now Available at:
Amazon
Barnes And Nobel
Books Inc.
Black Rose Writing
Grow Damn It is a profound, funny, and compelling read. As you lose yourself in the pages, experience the laughter, joy, and ridiculous antics required for living in the modern world. Explore the human condition. What it means to thrive amongst the weeds, but more importantly, how to stay connected, and courageous, without abandoning our sense of humor. Life does not have to be a burden, that is why we’re not going to bloom where we are planted. We’re going to shatter the damn pot.
Endorsements for Grow Damn It!
This gem of a book is a savvy guide to living a life of intention. Chock-full
of inspiration, Grow Damn It!, will help you become the person you want
to be. Keep it close by because Oreglia—a caring, inspiring, and
knowledgeable companion—is a welcome and joyful presence as you
journey toward self-discovery and transformation.
–Laurie Buchanan, Ph.D., author of
Note to Self: A Seven-Step Path to Gratitude and Growth
Vignettes and slices of life that will touch your heart, make you laugh, and
sometimes cry—but, mostly, laugh. From tales of life, loss, values, victories,
kids, road trips, and wine—always wine, Oreglia’s mini memoirs are
guaranteed to captivate and entertain. I highly recommend this read! Sit
down and savor these stories and Grow Damn It!, while living vicariously
through Cheryl’s journeys of life. I love her attitude and wit and am
already looking forward to her next book!
–D.G. Kaye, author of
Twenty Years: After ‘I Do’–Reflections on Love and Changes Through Aging
Oreglia’s debut memoir is a beautiful read. It’s personal yet relatable. It’s outrageously funny and heartbreaking, and it’s all about the challenges that life throws at us and how we grow into wisdom and love as a result. It’s one of those books that I might read on my birthday every year, to remind myself of what’s important about this one chance at life.
In a series of essays, the author shares the experiences from her life that shaped her thinking and led to change, appreciation, and a deep well of love. The chaos that comes with family relationships—parents, siblings, spouses, children, and grandchildren—becomes the fodder for growth. And her storytelling is honest and full of wit. As a woman in her 60s, I could relate to almost every experience that comes with aging—from the delights of menopause to corralling grandchildren to watching those we love die.
Which goes to show that not every essay in this book is laugh-out-loud funny. Many involved pain, loss, and regret. They pull on the heartstrings, sharing some tough truths—that life is temporary and things can change at the drop of a hat. Don’t waste it. Oreglia’s wisdom and advice seem to arise through quiet moments of presence when she can take a reflective breath, but she also references the words of other sages, notably John O’Donohue (Anam Cara), and writer Don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements), two of my favorite authors/books.
As Oreglia says, “Show up for your own life.” That’s my new mantra. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy memoirs and the opportunity to reflect on life’s universal lessons, and perhaps grow, damn it.
–D.W. Peach, author of The Necromancer’s Daughter
The Most Authentic Book You’ll Read This Year!
I’m a nostalgic guy. Not a Springsteen “Glory Days” guy at the bar (not that I’d pass up a good watering hole) but I like to reminisce about days gone by. I’m also Type-A about the future. Been retired for 5 years and still attack an overflowing “to-do” list every morning.
That’s why Cheryl Oreglia’s “Living in the Gap” blog resonates with me. Her beautiful, salt-of-the-earth prose inspires her readers with descriptions of how to move beyond the extremes and live in the “now,” even when the present is sloppy, raw, and real.
And last week, she released the best of the best of her work in her debut novel Grow, Damn It.
She had me rolling (like, on the floor) with her essay Built to Last about a road trip to Reno when her husband bought a new truck. A lump in my throat at the loss of her dog. And a curious sense of “been there” when her adult children rolled in for a long-term stay during COVID.
Her observation “What we leave behind is the way we make people feel” made me stop reading and start pondering. Oreglia’s like the 21st-century combo of Will Rogers and Anne Lamott and I’m hooked on her writing.
As she winds up her book, she leaves readers with several observations. My favorite was:
“From the clamor of the city to the gentle shores of the lake, we were never designed to live in isolation. People need not only validation, but camaraderie, compassion, and a loyal dog.”
Hell yes…we do. 5 stars.
–Cam Torrens, author of Stable
Living in the Gap 