Outskirts Press, INC.

Reflections is an intimate, poignant and sometimes humorous testament to a life well lived.

This compelling memoir spans nearly a century from the 1920’s into our present blazing information age.

Growing up on the Canadian border at Niagara Falls, Mary Lou ‘s childhood is overshadowed by the privation and hopelessness of the great Depression years, her family struggling to keep food on the table and provide education for her and her two brothers. Her teen years, marked by the tragedies of World War II, are also illuminated by the discovery of her passion for music, a leitmotif in her life.

Her journey is defined by her three marriages; the first marriage, youthful and misguided, after twenty years and three children, ends in divorce when she falls head over heels for a charismatic widowed father of six. This marriage, with a chaotic household of many children, travels and a three year sojourn in South Africa ends tragically with his sudden death at age sixty. Left with little money, Mary Lou struggles to forge an identity. She goes back to school, working part time, and eventually launches her own design business.

A miraculous turn of events leads to her third marriage, a mature, rewarding partnership inspiring her creative efforts, writing and filmmaking. After her husband’s death, Mary Lou reflects upon the many blessings of her life: family, friendships, music and love, with a profound acceptance.