All My Parents

In All My Parents: Seeking a Sense of Self in Family, Nancy Henderson-James contemplates the impact of her ancestors and descendents on her relationship to family. She delves into the lives of parents and grandparents and how their personality traits and passions affected her. When she married at 23, her husband's family also influenced her and their children, who at times stepped in to teach her how to be a mother. The arrival of her grandchildren brought her life into balance, revealing that family is to nurture and love, to care for each tiny human who joins our lives, to appreciate each unique personality and the pure joy inherent in participating in family life. From her grandparents, to her parents and surrogates, to her children and grandchildren, Henderson-James follows the family arc and discovers a way back to family integration.