July 28, 2025 • 4 mins
In this heartfelt Small Talk, Theresa Bruno shares the deeply personal preface to her new book, He’s Not Coming Back: Rewriting Life After Loss. Born from a season of profound grief after the death of her husband, this book is Theresa’s story of surviving, questioning, letting go—and ultimately rewriting the narrative of her life. This isn’t just a story about loss. It’s a guide for anyone wondering how to begin again after everything has changed. If you’ve ever asked yourself how to keep going when there’s no roadmap, this is for you. "This story isn’t over yet. Not mine or yours."Subscribe for more soulful conversations. Connect with us: The Soul Talks website: https://www.soultalkswiththeresa.com/ Get your copy of "He's Not Coming Back": https://bit.ly/40qGX6Y
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Hi, I wanted to share a little bit more about
my book with you today, and I'm so appreciative of
a to all of you for, you know, being tolerant
of all the times I've promoted the book on the
podcast and listening and reading. But for those of you
who haven't read it, I wanted to give you a
little more insight as to why I wrote the book,
(00:33):
So I thought i'd share with you the preface that
I wrote for the book. This book was born from
a season of profound loss and transformation. In the wake
of my husband James death. My world shattered, leading me
with questions that had no immediate answers. Grief reshaped me
at my core, forcing me to confront who I was
(00:56):
without James or the roles, definitions, and achievements I had
spent my life building. For the first time, I realized
I had been telling myself stories, stories about what success
should look like, who I needed to be, and how
I was expected to move through the world. None of
those stories fit anymore. In the aftermath, I wasn't sure
(01:17):
what I was looking for. All I knew was that
I didn't want to live in a narrative of endless sorrow.
And hopelessness. Instead, I started searching for a way forward,
to rewrite my story and create a life that wasn't
defined by what had happened to me and my family,
but held both my pain and the possibility of rebuilding.
(01:38):
That search became the foundation of this book. There was
no roadmap for the journey I found myself on. Closing
my business, reimagining my life, and grappling with the weight
of grief left me vulnerable in a way I had
never known before. But it was in that vulnerability I
learned so much. I learned how to survive the initial
(01:59):
gut wrenching early days of grief and sorrow. I found
a bread crumb trail of courage that showed up day
after day, guiding me out of abject grief. I learned
that sharing my pain was essential to my healing. I
leaned hard into trusted friendships and my children, who have
been my absolute anchors. And ultimately I learned to dream again.
(02:23):
It is not at all like I had dreamed before,
but dreams born from suffering and seeing life through an
entirely new lens. I didn't write this book simply to
share my story, but with the hope that in its
telling any one who's experienced profound loss, betrayal, sorrow, or
grief might find a kindred spirit, someone who understands the
(02:47):
depth of their pain. If I've learned one thing in
my journey, it's that we are all surviving something. I
also hope that for those who have questioned how to
pick up the pieces after life has brought them to
their knees, or who are searching for the strength to
go on when it feels like there's no path forward,
that my story will give you strength and the assurance
(03:09):
that moving forward is possible. It's a book about survival,
and it's a book about looking hard at life's most
challenging questions. It's about finding meaning in the messy in
between parts and daring to imagine what's on the other
side of sorrow and loss. Throughout these pages, I will
share the lessons I've learned and the truths I've uncovered.
(03:30):
I will also share how I learned to listen to
the stories I was telling myself, and how I began
to rewrite them. This book is deeply personal, but it's
not just for me. I hope these words remind you
of your courage and give you the strength to keep
going in your survival journey. Thank you for being here
with me and for reading. This story isn't over yet,
(03:52):
not mine or yours. Thank you so much. I'll read
more later five
Hi, I wanted to share a little bit more about
my book with you today, and I'm so appreciative of
a to all of you for, you know, being tolerant
of all the times I've promoted the book on the
podcast and listening and reading. But for those of you
who haven't read it, I wanted to give you a
little more insight as to why I wrote the book,
(00:33):
So I thought i'd share with you the preface that
I wrote for the book. This book was born from
a season of profound loss and transformation. In the wake
of my husband James death. My world shattered, leading me
with questions that had no immediate answers. Grief reshaped me
at my core, forcing me to confront who I was
(00:56):
without James or the roles, definitions, and achievements I had
spent my life building. For the first time, I realized
I had been telling myself stories, stories about what success
should look like, who I needed to be, and how
I was expected to move through the world. None of
those stories fit anymore. In the aftermath, I wasn't sure
(01:17):
what I was looking for. All I knew was that
I didn't want to live in a narrative of endless sorrow.
And hopelessness. Instead, I started searching for a way forward,
to rewrite my story and create a life that wasn't
defined by what had happened to me and my family,
but held both my pain and the possibility of rebuilding.
(01:38):
That search became the foundation of this book. There was
no roadmap for the journey I found myself on. Closing
my business, reimagining my life, and grappling with the weight
of grief left me vulnerable in a way I had
never known before. But it was in that vulnerability I
learned so much. I learned how to survive the initial
(01:59):
gut wrenching early days of grief and sorrow. I found
a bread crumb trail of courage that showed up day
after day, guiding me out of abject grief. I learned
that sharing my pain was essential to my healing. I
leaned hard into trusted friendships and my children, who have
been my absolute anchors. And ultimately I learned to dream again.
(02:23):
It is not at all like I had dreamed before,
but dreams born from suffering and seeing life through an
entirely new lens. I didn't write this book simply to
share my story, but with the hope that in its
telling any one who's experienced profound loss, betrayal, sorrow, or
grief might find a kindred spirit, someone who understands the
(02:47):
depth of their pain. If I've learned one thing in
my journey, it's that we are all surviving something. I
also hope that for those who have questioned how to
pick up the pieces after life has brought them to
their knees, or who are searching for the strength to
go on when it feels like there's no path forward,
that my story will give you strength and the assurance
(03:09):
that moving forward is possible. It's a book about survival,
and it's a book about looking hard at life's most
challenging questions. It's about finding meaning in the messy in
between parts and daring to imagine what's on the other
side of sorrow and loss. Throughout these pages, I will
share the lessons I've learned and the truths I've uncovered.
(03:30):
I will also share how I learned to listen to
the stories I was telling myself, and how I began
to rewrite them. This book is deeply personal, but it's
not just for me. I hope these words remind you
of your courage and give you the strength to keep
going in your survival journey. Thank you for being here
with me and for reading. This story isn't over yet,
(03:52):
not mine or yours. Thank you so much. I'll read
more later five
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