Grief, Love, and Self-Discovery // Sarah Gormley's "The Order of Things"

What shapes who we become? Is it the milestones we achieve, the people we love, or the pain we endure?Sarah Gormley's "The Order of Things: A Memoir of Chasing Joy" offers no simple answers, but instead invites us into the beautiful messiness of one woman's journey toward self-acceptance and self-love. When Sarah returns to her family farm to care for her dying mother, she's at a crossroads. She’s burnt out from a corporate career that never fulfilled her and haunted by a relentless inner voice telling her she's worthless despite her external success. What unfolds is far from the typical grief memoir. Between caring for her mother as she dies, Sarah unexpectedly falls in love with her brother's childhood friend, Camillus, and begins dismantling the protective walls she's built around herself. The book's non-linear format mirrors life's unpredictable nature. It jumps between Sarah's childhood memories, therapy sessions with the insightful (and amazing!!) David, raw moments at her mother's bedside, and all the ways Sarah's life is still expanding. We witness her unraveling the origins of her perfectionism and my friend, Colleen, and I discuss our own personal parallels to Sarah’s journey. We chat about our core beliefs, finding and accepting love, and more.Through grief, love, and persistent self-examination, Sarah eventually learns to silence her inner critic and open herself to joy—not because she's earned it through achievement, but because she finally recognizes she deserves it simply by existing. Ready to reconsider your own timeline and the voices you've allowed to define your worth? Dive into this transformative memoir that reminds us all that the most meaningful journeys rarely follow the order we expect.Content advisory: we do discuss Sarah's eating disorder.For the extended discussion of this episode (an additional 32 min), subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Patreon.Support the show: Buy us a book Buy cute merchHave you read “The Order of Things"? Share your thoughts with us! Connect with us @babesinbooklandpod or email [email protected] you leave a kind review, I might read it at top of show!Buy “The Order of Things” by Sarah Gormley https://sarahgormleygallery.com/Support two wonderful organizations aimed to help women:kherut.orgtostan.orgLearn more about Richard RohrTranscripts are available through Apple’s podcast app—they may not be perfect, but relying on them allows me to dedicate more time to the show! If you’re interested in being a transcript angel, let me know.  This episode is produced, recorded, and its content edited by me.Technical editing by Brianna Picone Theme song by Devin KennedySpecial thanks to my dear friend, Colleen. You are our happy monster. Xx, AlexConnect with us and suggest a great memoir!Follow us on instagram! @babesinbooklandpod  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.