Last year, I had the amazing opportunity to join the cast of Listen to Your Mother: Raleigh Durham and share a story that is near and dear to my heart about my grandmother.

I’ll admit, I was nervous. Yes, I’m a PR person. Because of this, you might be inclined to say that I am a professional storyteller. However, I’m not accustomed to standing on a stage and reading a personal story. I’m also not accustomed to doing so with a group of women who are really fabulous writers and storytellers — women who started as strangers but are now friends. Sharing this experience with them created strong bonds that will never be broken, and I treasure the times we now have as a part of an ongoing writers’ group. (Writers’ group, group therapy…whatever.)

Almost everyone has a story to tell about motherhood. Listen to Your Mother 2015 will feature funny, touching, enlightening and inspiring stories about motherhood in 39 cities. This year’s Raleigh-Durham submission deadline is January, 31. If your heart is tugging at you to submit a story, I strongly encourage you to do so. Submissions are open to women and men, and you don’t have to be a mother to tell your story. To get an idea of what you’ll be doing if you are invited to audition and selected, check out videos from last year’s Raleigh-Durham show.

Thanks Jess Rotenberg for capturing our Listen to Your Mother cast in such fun and beautiful ways, including the photo used in this post.