I was eager to read this book after devouring the memoir by Connie, …and His Lovely Wife: A Memoir from the Woman Beside the Man. Life Happens was published the year prior to Connie's memoir though it doesn't much matter what order you read them as long as you read them both. :-)

This book consists of pieces Connie wrote as an Opinion columnist for the The Plain Dealer, a Cleveland, Ohio newspaper. She has written far more columns than were included in this book and you can read more of her pieces in the paper's web archive here.

The book groups her pieces into ten topics and the more I read, the more I understood what a strong listener she is. The stories she wrote compelled yet more people to share their own stories with her. Some of her pieces, particularly those in the Battle Fatigue section, are heart wrenching and I found myself choking up numerous times.

Schultz also is adept at making her points with humor and a sprinkling of other literary devices. She has much to say, all based on a strong sense of values derived from her blue-collar, working class, Christian upbringing. By book's end I wanted to call her and ask if we could hang out together for a day or maybe I could come cuddle on her couch for a weekend and soak up her words of wisdom and support. Although, come to think of it, I already get to do that, though it's on my couch :-) as I read her Hopefully Yours substack.