Sideshow

Living with Loss and Moving Forward with Faith

De: Rickey Smiley

Narrado por: Rickey Smiley

How do you live with the pain of watching someone you love suffer from addiction? How do you cope with the grief of losing them especially when your job is to make people laugh every day?

Comedian Rickey Smiley has dealt with these immensely difficult questions for years—first with his father, then with his son. Both battled drug addictions. Both died from overdoses. Both left Rickey weary and wounded.

Far from healed, Rickey has learned how to find moments of peace. He's practicing how to hold the good with the grief, the past gifts with the present heartache, the hope with the hurt. It's the "sideshow" he's living. It's anything but a smooth path, but he's on it, and he's moving forward. And he invites you to come with him.

Join a fellow hurting soul as he sits with his trauma, leans into therapy, and relies heavily on his faith and Scripture, which give him solace and strength. Rickey and his story will help you:

• Feel seen and know you are not alone
• Process your pain and manage weariness and grief
• Invite God's strength into your weakness
• Find a way forward and move toward peace

Our pain may take hold of us in ways that are crippling, out of nowhere, and impossible to control. But there is One who can hold us tighter and keep us grounded, who gives the gift of peace that goes beyond understanding and guides us through each day.

©2024 Rickey Smiley (P)2024 Thomas Nelson

The passion in his voice which made me feel every word . And the fact he went back to scripture through out his book.

I like how open he was to tell us all his feelings without holding back.

There is no timeline for grieving

I loved it all. My husband passed in 1999 and I still grieve the loss. Thanks to God the pain in my heart which sent me to the ER many times has subsided but the loss of him is present.

heartfelt and powerful

the amount of depth, vulnerability, truth, and lesson of getting through grief or even a tough time through gratitude and laughter. loved this book.

Although Mr. Smiley went through a lot. He still stands tall. Amen!

This book was humorous and heartwarming memoir that took me on a journey through Mr. Smiley life, showcasing his unique perspective on family, fame, and the ups and downs of the entertainment industry. Mr Smiley storytelling is engaging mixing laughter with poignant moments that resonate deeply.The anecdotes are both relatable and entertaining, revealing the man behind the laughter. His ability to connect with readers through candid reflections on his challenges and triumphs makes this book not just a memoir but a celebration of resilience and authenticity. Overall it’s a delightful read that lets me know Mr. Smiley blessings come from God.

He Got It Off His Chest

This was a good read. It was like sitting in the living room with Rickey as he tells his side of the story. I kept wondering if any of this was really written in the book. He focuses a lot on the tragedy of losing his son, but there was another irritation that I sensed from this read. It was like he heard what they were saying, so now he's addressing it. The vibe I got was "for those who wanted to know, here it is". He's talking to the celebrities, the family and the neighborhood and he didn't hold back. Get the book, it's inspirational, funny, sometimes sad and the shade is really classy.

Very forthcoming

I appreciate his honesty and vulnerability about his grief and losing his son. I laughed and cried throughout the book. More people should read this book dealing with grief and also to learn about constructive criticism and the black community.

The honesty and open heart

I loved the entire narration from Ricky Smiley himself. I feel like I know him personally now. I cried through the entire book because I too, lost my youngest child, a Son, to Cancer 2/19/22. I am still grieving, and I thought that no one knew the depth of my pain... until this book. The holidays are approaching. I may have to listen to this again to get me through each day. Thank you, Ricky Smiley. I hope to meet you one day and hug you personally for writing everything I am going through that I cannot write myself, or share with the world. But... I sing my pain every time I go on stage. May God bless you over and over again. ❤️🙏🏽❤️‍🩹

So inspiring

For anyone who has suffered a loss and trying to naviagate through life this is for you. After this read I am better equipped to help family and friends myself during their time of transition.

be ready for life changes

this book was so good. I never read a hole book in one day. it definitely helps you to understand that in this life that your living you still have to balance your self out for yourself, kids, family etc. it's ok to seek help ( Counseling) when your going thru thing and don't know how to get thru it. also
don't expect for people to show you the same love that you give out when your going thru thing.

Helpful

This book was very helpful for me dealing with an unexpected loss of a first cousin who passed away 10 years ago.