Just One Thing with Cassie Mattheis

Cassie Mattheis’ memoir “In the Sunrise Hour” delves into grief, what defines a mother figure, and the importance of place. Here she shares just one thing about the piece:

“In this foray into memoir for the purpose of capturing a moment of repetition throughout my life, I found myself focusing primarily on my relationship with my adoptive mother—my aunt, who stepped into the role of mom when my biological mother passed away. But in the process of sharing the story of how I became an adoptive daughter, I found a beautiful connection to my identity as a biological one as well. In the process of writing this piece, I explored—in many ways, for the first time—the memories I have of Ruby Lynn, my birth mother. Though she died when I was six, I found that I had buried beautiful gems of recollection—her green thumb, her bright laugh, her warmth and a natural ability she had to make everyone feel at ease. I looked at old photographs and read her eulogies. I remembered her humanity, which I think is perhaps the most important part of long-term, evolving grief. I came away from the writing process feeling closer to her: a fitting, full-circle consequence of a piece that examines the impact her motherhood has had on my life.”