The Irreverent Widow Project premier, November 2007

Me, me…and more me!

My scintillating biography.

My name is Sandi Amorello. I live in Maine. I moved here in 2005…with three children, two cats, one fish…and a dwarf hamster. My husband Drew died (very inconveniently and against my direct orders, I might add) on the 26th of December 2002.  He was buried on New Year’s Eve. So, yes, that makes me a widow. Worse yet, a holiday widow.

Oma at beach with way cool shoes, circa 1929

Fortunately, I come from a long line of independent, resilient, extraordinarily stubborn (I mean, determined) women.  I chose not to follow Emily Post’s etiquette advice. I did not wear black for six months. I did wear black lingerie to the funeral, though, if that redeems me.  Actually, I don’t think I’ve followed anyone’s advice about anything since hopping onto the wild roller coaster of widowhood and single parenting.  I am thinking, if I can navigate the loss of the man I loved with all of my heart and soul…I can handle anything the universe can throw at me.

Sandi and Drew, 2000

Drew and I met on our first day of college. Art college. I never expected to meet a straight, handsome, nice guy from New England in a Stetson hat and cowboy boots at an art college.  I should have suspected it was a fairy tale right then and there.  Our life was not perfect. Our marriage was not perfect.  Neither of us was perfect.  But, somehow…we had stumbled upon something rare. True, lasting, butterflies-in-the-stomach love.  The at first sight kind of love.  The kind you wish for.  The kind most people never find.Our daily life, both before and after the advent of our three children, was infused with generous amounts of creativity, love and most importantly…humor.  We laughed through our problems.  In between the tears, of course. The reason we were together for nearly two decades was because we adored one another. And because I could never stay angry with Drew.  He always made me laugh. It was irritating.  I’d be pouting, giving him the silent treatment…being my usual stubborn self…and he’d walk up behind me, whisper something in my ear in some funny voice and the next thing I knew I’d be kissing him and laughing and the risotto would be burning on stove.  He taught me the true meaning of what it means to “forgive and forget.”

It took at least a decade.  He was a patient man.

If Drew could still find things to laugh about while dealing with a diagnosis of incurable cancer…and while hanging out at places like Dana-Farber…well, I think we all need to keep laughing. Laughter and tears go together.  If we can remember that, even the darkest days of our life become just a little bit brighter.

To read more about how I have managed to keep laughing while simultaneously weeping and raising three children …go to STORIES and peruse to your heart’s content.

To see  more…go to VIDEOS. There is undoubtedly something special there, just for you!

To learn more about my plans and dreams for this body of work….go to THE IRREVERENT WIDOW Project