Can an ordinary life be extraordinary? It depends on the lens through which one views. In the case of Marc Gellman, that lens is Shiva Eyes, and the life is the one he describes in his powerful and unforgettable memoir. Everyone will love this New York City true-life story about a boy from Brooklyn who meets a girl from The Bronx, and a husband’s promise, ‘I will tell our story to the world; that every day we shared was special.’
This love story is one like you’ve never read before; a full portrait of a marriage that will make you smile, laugh, and cry. The author recounts his fairytale love story, from their teenage meeting in the 1960’s Rockaway summer scene, to being early marrieds in New York City, to suburban parenting, and to the life as an urban couple relishing their empty nest. Once it appears, Barbara’s courageous grueling, determined, hope-filled fight against a brutal disease is unflinchingly depicted.
Looking through a husband’s Shiva Eyes, readers will experience the couple’s wondrous life as the author searches deep into his soul to find answers to questions. As told through the eyes of the man who lived it, brings a romantic celebration of life, and shows the ordinary life experiences that bring about funny and poignant moments. With candor, humor, laughter, and tears, the author shares the story of their lives both wildly charmed with parties, celebration, and playful adventures and a life excruciatingly challenging through the hills and valleys of their life together.
Observing the singular, remarkable romance, the author uncovers a depth to their love, he’d never fully grasped. Their nonstop silliness, playful puppy love, and strength in his wife that he’d never fully understood. It’s a happy-ever-after born of a teen-age puppy love that grew with each passing year. Although their lives together may have ended with seven days of shiva, that boy from Brooklyn and girl from The Bronx shared forty-six years of puppy love.
Don’t let the title mislead you. It’s about the power of love in this romantic love story that makes it worth reading. Don’t be surprised if you see some of yourselves in the characters and their journey.
Table of Content
Prologue
Introduction
Chapter 1 Girls and the Rockaways
Chapter 2 Pookie . . . ask Barbara
Chapter 3 Two teenagers can become one
Chapter 4 Going all the way
Chapter 5 Those two words
Chapter 6 Every girl deserves to be a bride
Chapter 7 Something about the two of us had changed
Chapter 8 I can’t believe it’s me
Chapter 9 I made one big mistake
Chapter 10 Just the two of us
Chapter 11 I want a baby
Chapter 12 I am incorrigible
Chapter 13 Something or someone was always guiding us
Chapter 14 Tears filled my eyes too
Chapter 15 That special spirit
Chapter 16 All of our silliness
Chapter 17 A beautiful sunny day
Chapter 18 How about an award
Chapter 19 Belief in her faith
Chapter 20 Mommy has cancer
Chapter 21 Live . . . Love . . . Laugh
Chapter 22 Freeing ourselves
Chapter 23 Tall hills and deep valleys
Chapter 24 Everything happens to Barbara
Chapter 25 Once upon a time
Chapter 26 We’ve come full circle
Chapter 27 Quality of life and hope
Chapter 28 This can’t be our last New Year’s Eve
Chapter 29 When does it end?
Chapter 30 I always had it all
Chapter 31 Time passing became my worst enemy
Chapter 32 I wish I had asked her
Chapter 33 There was a plan . . . once again
Chapter 34 Pancakes for dinner
Chapter 35 Ninety-five percent of people are great
Chapter 36 I felt so alone
Chapter 37 Two puppy lovers
Chapter 38 I know
Chapter 39 A person of faith
Chapter 40 Say something
Chapter 41 Smiling through the tears
Chapter 42 Going for a walk
Chapter 43 Memories of grandparents
Chapter 44 Give me a sign
Chapter 45 Barbara was blessed
Chapter 46 I miss you
Epilogue
About the author
After a lifetime of working for others, Marc Gellman now works for himself. After more than forty years focused on architectural design and real estate development projects, Marc has launched new careers: writing books and creating and starring in ‘Benjamin’s Grandpa’ videos. His future outlook is all about accomplishing the fun stuff he always dreamed of doing. ‘In my youth, I was a silly kid. Life’s challenges and experiences influenced me to become a (mostly) serious-minded adult, and conformity was the only way to survive in the corporate world. With no one to answer to any longer, it’s time for the silly me to come out . . . with maybe just a little seriousness now and then.’ Marc grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn, New York in the 1950s and ’60s. As a young boy, Marc developed an interest in watching the construction of buildings and he went on to attend a school of architecture. On the day of his sixteenth birthday, Marc started his working career as a clerk at the Big Apple Supermarket on Church Avenue, Brooklyn. He earned $1.25 an hour and made extra money from a side business he cooked up; ferrying groceries home from the market for elderly customers. Now . . . he’s a proud author and grandpa to three grandkids.
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