So what happens when the passionate pursuit of your own destiny bumps up against raising a child while simultaneously taking care of a parent who is slowly drifting into a form of dementia that requires you to, in effect, parent them as well?
That is a big part of what I explore with my guest today, Maya Shanbag, language, who's written a beautiful new book, what we carry about this experience.
Growing up the daughter of immigrants, Maya had created a series of stories about her parents, painted a picture in her mind, especially around her mom and who she thought she was and wasn't.
That would come tumbling down and reveal so much.
Not just about who her mom really was and is, but about who Maya was and is as well.
Beyond this deeply moving story, Maya's work has been regularly featured in the Washington Post, InStyle, the millions, the rumpus, so many other places, and been nominated for a pushcart prize.
And she teaches aspiring writers.
And we dive into all of this, zooming the lens out about the craft, her creative journey, and her relationship with herself and her family, her craft, her devotion, her contribution to the world, and how it has all woven into this beautiful tapestry to leave her where she is at this moment in life.
So excited to share this conversation with you.
I'm Jonathan Fields, and this is good life project.
It's kind of funny because where you are now, we came so close to moving, actually.
I mean, literally, like a heartbeat away from it, and fell in love with the town.
But I'm on the Upper west side.
You're in Hastings, New York, right now.
You grew up, I guess, for a heartbeat in Queens, but then really in Long island.
Yeah.
So I lived in Queens until I was four years old, and then, which I barely remember.
And then we moved to Long island.
And that I remember quite vividly, even though I was young, it was this very sort of moving on up.
It was a big deal in my family.