Ok, ok, I said that nothing is as good as a love story and didn’t talk about a *love* story. So here goes: Mark and Giulia meet the first week of college and it is love at first sight. From those first days, they become inseparable. They’re young, in love, and full of dreams for a big, full life together. After college they moved across the United States to California for their first big jobs. Soon after they find out that they’re expecting their first baby. Life is everything they dreamed of! So Mark cannot make sense of the seemingly overnight change he sees in Giulia. They don’t know it yet but their lives are about to be marked by psych wards, medication, and a lot of grit. “My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward, A Memoir” by Mark Lukach is one of the most beautiful examples of a love and loyalty. My gratitude takeaway from Mark & Giulia’s story is “partnership”.
Booked with Megan, November 21, 2025
Megan L. Larson
In my opinion, there is nothing like a good love story. “Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness and a Mother’s Love” is that kind of story. It’s not about a romantic love but of something often quieter and stronger: a love of a parent for their child. Our hero is Zack McDermott, a young public defender who is trying to start his life in New York City. It is here that he experiences something that will alter his life forever: a manic episode. As Zack grapples with his diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder he returns to the nest of his mother (whom he affectionately refers to as “the Bird”). He experiences many highs and many lows but his mom is by his side through it all. Through her unwavering love and support Zack is able to come off conqueror. My gratitude takeaway from “Gorilla and the Bird” is “support”.
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