January 2021, ten months into the global pandemic, Sherry Sidoti's mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer - so Sherry prioritizes a trip to Manhattan over long-awaited empty-nesting and her 'second chance' with fiance Jevon. With new life blooming and loss looming, she is beckoned to answer the question that has haunted her since childhood: is freedom found in 'letting go,' as the spiritual teachers (and her mother) insist - or is it found by digging our heels deeper into the earth and holding on to our humanness? A Smoke and a Song is Sherry's story of her quest to make meaning from the memories homed in her body. Told with tenacity, tenderness, and wry humor, Sherry stumbles towards self-actualization, spiritual awakening - and, despite it all, love. This is a story steeped in art and spirituality that explores the complexities of transgenerational maternal bonds, attachment, loss, and leaning in to our wounds to find the wisdom.
