A Storied Life

05/19/2026

Talking About Death with Those We Love

Community workshop to grow our comfort with talking about dying and death. All are welcome to join us to think about what matters most to us in life and prepare to talk about our wishes for dying and death with our loved ones. It's not easy, but if we meet others where they are and leave the door op

05/19/2026

Community Caregivers of Wyoming County - Attica

A Storied Life is partnering with Gateway Home Attica to offer this free workshop in Attica for community members who are caring for a loved one. We will talk about the reality of caregiving - some of hardest and most human work we can do. Caregivers put love into action. Yet, it often takes even mo

05/07/2026

Are you a caregiver in Wyoming County? If so, this program is for you. A space to be seen, heard, and supported. Join Gateway Home and A Storied Life at Perry Public Library, United Church of Warsaw and St Paul's United Church of Christ. Real conversation and local resources to support your caregiving in Wyoming County.

You never have to walk alone. Even if you can’t come to Gateway Home, let us walk beside you.

To Register:
Contact Sara Brunner 585-708-4331 or [email protected]

Presented by Gateway Home Attica
in collaboration with A Storied Life
Supported by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo

05/07/2026

Sometimes, simply asking "Would you like to talk about it?" is enough. It is so hard talking about dying and death. And yet, that conversation might make all the difference. It takes courage! If you would like a bit of practice before you "talk the talk," join us on May 14th at Chisholm (Audubon) Library of Amherst Public Libraries! We will share tips and resources from organizations like The Conversation Project.

🪷Talking About Death with Those We Love - Befriending Death Gathering with A Storied Life🪷
🪷Thursday, May 14 (1-3:30pm)🪷

🪷Think About It. Talk About It. Sounds simple, but it’s certainly not easy - especially when it can feel so awkward or even off limits with loved ones. We will share resources and prepare to talk the talk.

🪷To register, contact Honorable Shirley Chisholm (Audubon) Branch - Amherst Public Library at: 716-689-4922

🪷Facilitated by Amber Sastry, MPP Global Hospice Volunteer and Community Death Educator

04/15/2026

You are invited to join us on to think about and talk about our wishes for healthcare at the end-of-life. We will review the New York State documents you may want to complete to help ensure that you are able to live your dying in a way that reflects your wishes and values. Thanks to our local office of the New York State Attorney General, we will have hardcopies of Advance Directives: Making Your Wishes Known and Honored for all who attend. If you cannot make it, the resource is available here: https://ag.ny.gov/publications/advance-directives

🌷🌷Free Community Workshop with A Storied Life 🌷🌷
Healthcare Choices at Life's End - Healthcare proxy, living will, and DNR will be discussed. Facilitated by Amber Sastry, Community Death Educator
Thursday, April 16 (1-3:30pm)
Located at the Hon. Shirley Chisholm Library
Register in-person or by calling (716)689-4922.

04/10/2026

Join A Storied Life at Calvary Episcopal Church - Williamsville, NY on April 19th at 11:30am for free lunch and a thoughtful conversation!

On Sunday, April 19th, Calvary Church will present its fifteenth Common Ground Lecture, entitled Love Your Neighbor As Yourself – It Starts With Listening…, featuring Amber Sastry, founder of A Storied Life. The lecture will explore “storylistening” – the practice of offering attention without the impulse to interrupt, fix, or advise. Discover how this simple, profound act can help you experience being deeply heard, create space to listen to your own story with compassion and curiosity, transform your most important relationships, and build the trust and connection for which we all long.

A light lunch will be offered at 11:30 am, preceding the 12:15 pm lecture which will conclude by 1:30 pm with a question and answer period. For more information please call 716-633-7800 or email [email protected]. This is a free community event.

04/10/2026

Life is Not Fair. That’s Just the Way It Is.

Jim Henson's 1986 film, Labyrinth, with Jennifer Connelly as Sarah and David Bowie as The Goblin King offer a peak into how to live fully through accepting that life is not fair and releasing ourselves from resentment.

04/09/2026

Are Mother’s Day and Father’s Day tricky for you? Do you have trouble finding a card that reflects your parent? All that lovey dovey, “rah rah you’re the best” just not quite right? We get it. We hear you. It hurts.

At the same time, they’re the ones you’ve got. Right? Or perhaps you don’t. Even if your parent is gone, or your relationship is, this is still for you.

How would it feel to take another look and reflect on what they DID do? How they tried despite their own difficult circumstances? What they gave you that has shaped you in important ways?

No one can give back what you lost or change how you have been hurt. Your pain deserves to being acknowledged. But what if we also looked back with an eye for the good moments? To focus in on the “best of”? What might happen?

Forgiveness is not about “letting someone off the hook” or “sweeping it under the rug.” It’s about seeing the past as it was while releasing its power over you. It benefits the person who is forgiving, first and foremost. What have we got to lose?

Join us for this special event The Velvet Bookmark where we will look back to see and name the best of what our mothers and fathers did – the specific moments that might otherwise be overshadowed by our pain. We will honor our hurt and look for the light in our parents that shines in us.

Because… Life is short. Parenting is hard. And none of us lives up to be the parent we wish we were. During this season of flowers and brunches and golf balls and neck ties, let’s do something different. Let’s lift up the best of what they gave us.

Our facilitators will be on hand to guide and to listen. We will have free refreshments for all and great books for purchase.

Questions? Contact Amber from A Storied Life at 716-275-9070

04/08/2026

It was wonderful to be at Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo to host a Book Club for volunteers of HPCB! We are reading Atul Gawande's book, "Being Mortal" and coming together with fellow volunteers to build community and process the work we do with others who understand. What a fun and thoughtful group of people! A big thank you to Lynn Riker (with the tarts), Lynsey Danat (with Lynn), Marsha Grimes (with Hudson the dog), and Sue Eckel (not pictured) for making this possible! Oh, and to the HPCB kitchen for the AMAZING tarts!