"Hello, Molly!" Will Make You Say "Hello, life!"

I have a love affair that never stops. It is wondrous. Glorious. Exhilarating. Takes me to new levels every time. A love affair that is always unpredictable but also reliable.

Okay, you may have visions of scenes from the movie The Notebook right now. You're on the right track but not there yet. Think instead about WHERE the movie came from...a book. Love affair!

Oh, books, dear books. They have been my escape, comfort, and one of the major loves of my life. When I was a kid, there was no greater pleasure than going to the grocery store with my mum and getting a brand new shiny book from the book section...a story to take me on a great adventure in my mind.

I have an affinity for all books but I really love memoirs. To delve first-hand into someone's life (whom you are interested) is so fascinating. Sharing our stories connects us to each other as humans in deep and profound ways. I believe it opens us up to understanding ourselves and life more...and opens the door of your mind to consider new possibilities for yourself that you hadn't considered (or perhaps thought not possible). And it is also just FUN and interesting to hear about someone's life. Molly Shannon's memoir "Hello, Molly!" is a great big resounding "Hello, there!" to all that a memoir can be.

I actually had no intention of reading her book. My best friend had bought the book and told me I needed to read it but it didn't call to me at first. I absolutely loved Molly when she had been on SNL, laughed endlessly at the movie Superstar, and even knew a little bit of her childhood story but I still just passed by it a few times and still didn't pick it up. But one fortuitous night, I couldn't sleep (I think I had eaten too many nachos or something). I picked it up...and before I knew it, I had stayed up all night to finish it!!!!

Molly's story absolutely captivated my heart. It is such an achingly heartfelt, comedic, hopeful and insightful story of her life--her childhood, her relationships, her talent, her rise to success. It is such an easy read...it feels as if she is just talking to you. I cried, I laughed, I wondered. I had to stop at times and just take in her life. In short, as licensed joyologist Helen Madden would say, I love it, I love, I love it (leg kicking wildly in the air)!!!

While I will NOT give any spoilers (no alerts here!), here are some beautiful take-aways that stayed with me days after reading it.

Comedy is king. Surprisingly, Molly began as a more serious dramatic actor but soon realized comedy was king. I have the tendency to be very "in my head" and gravitate to seriousness and this book reminded me that laugher and fun are the keys to so much. To building better relationships. Adding to people's lives. Enjoying every day life. I love to laugh and be light but sometimes the weight of the world squeezes it out of you. I was reminded that comedy is king!

Take the positives from your childhood and let it serve you. Molly's was in a horrific accident as a child that killed her mother, sister, and cousin. This irrevocably changed things for Molly, her dad, and her other sister who survived. A very close, yet dysfunctional, relationship with her father shaped so much in her life. But she took those really hard things and made them work for her and it shaped who she was. Her fearlessness, MAJOR confidence, and passion for life were shaped from so much in her childhood. Focus on what your childhood gave you, not what it didn't.

Persistence is key. I absolutely marveled at the tenacity and ingenuity of Molly! Wow! Hearing "no" after "no" can take a toll...and she heard plenty of them. But I was truly inspired by how she would THINK through the problem and be so inventive to get done what she wanted done...and BE who she wanted to be! She put SO much effort into what she wanted to do. It reminded me to keep thinking outside of the box and just to KEEP GOING.

Sometimes you just have to let it go. There is a point in Molly's story where, despite all her persistence, she hits an absolute wall of exhaustion and frustration (still not giving it away even though I want to tell it!). At that moment, she decides to let it go. Sometimes you have to stop fighting against the tide and go with the flow. You have to listen to what life is telling you. And wouldn't ya' know, when she did let go...the ride took an amazing turn she didn't see coming! You always hear, the moment you stop looking for love or something you really want, THEN it comes to you. Sometimes you just gotta let go.

But one thing I won't let go is this wonderful memoir. "Hello, Molly!" will truly make you say "Hello, Life!". Superstaaaaar!