October Reflections: Honoring the Women Who Shaped Me
There are many reasons why October is so special to me. The crisp air, the golden light, the colorful foliage is the season that feels alive with change.
But more than that, October holds deep personal meaning. It’s the birth month of two remarkable women who shaped who I am: my maternal grandmother and my mother.
Today, my mother would have been 106 years old. I often say that it’s their Irish working women lineage that most defined me. I carry many of their better habits with me every day, grateful for the foundation they built and the values they passed down.


Read More From Nancy
My Grandparents
With both my parents working full-time, I was fortunate to have my grandparents close by. My father’s mother, Nana, lived on one side of our duplex, while my mother’s parents lived right next door. My grandparents were constants in my young life, bringing rhythm, warmth and steadiness to my days. Life with them was filled with simple, grounding […]
My Mother, Mary: The Foundation of My Life
This section must begin with my mother, Mary Hannigan. She was born on October 14, 1919,in Concord, New Hampshire , into a world very different from the one we know today. I was her third child and her second daughter, and from the very beginning her presence, love, and example became the foundation on which so […]