#USA #Lynchburg #Daryl Calfee #Let's Skip the Bull #grief guide

A Father's Honest Guide to Life After Loss

In the face of overwhelming grief, Daryl Calfee has turned the pain of loss into a source of strength and guidance for countless others. After losing his wife, Johanna, to breast cancer, Daryl found himself not only mourning her absence but also taking on the challenge of raising their three children alone. With a deep desire to share the wisdom and life lessons they accumulated together, he penned a heartfelt book titled Let's Skip the Bull: Lessons from Dad After Your Mom Died.

This book is much more than a memoir; it serves as a manual for navigating the complexities of grief and life itself. In writing it, Daryl confronted his own feelings of confusion, sorrow, and the longing for hope in difficult times. The experience brought an unexpected clarity that compelled him to document everything he wished for his children to understand about love, resilience, and values that truly matter.

Insights from a Raw Journey

Through poignant anecdotes and honest reflections, Let's Skip the Bull merges Daryl’s personal experiences with practical life lessons. Each chapter captures the essence of their lives together, illustrating moments of joy, struggle, and the invaluable insights gleaned over two decades of love and partnership.

Daryl’s intention was to provide a future guide for his children, a diary of sorts, to help them understand their mother's legacy and the strength they carry within themselves. He explained, “If something ever happened to me, no one would be left to tell our kids the stories. About their mom. About how we lived. About what we figured out the hard way. So, I wrote it all down.”

The title, Let's Skip the Bull, conveys Daryl's mission to bypass empty platitudes often associated with grieving and instead offer raw, relatable truths. He acknowledges that while this book was written primarily for his children, its wisdom is universal — reaching out to anyone facing life's toughest challenges. “This isn't just a grief book,” he says. “It may hold meaning for those who are dealing with their own struggles, whether it be cancer or the loss of someone they love.”

The Heart of the Matter

Blending his skills in marketing and design with an earnest heart, Daryl’s creative voice shines throughout the narrative. His professional background in real estate development and community projects inspires an intentional storytelling style that nurtures and uplifts readers. Let's Skip the Bull is not merely a collection of lessons; it is a permission slip for readers to laugh, cry, reflect, and ultimately heal.

With practical advice and actionable lessons regarding personal growth, Daryl encourages readers to embrace their emotions, share their stories, and cherish the memories that bind them to their loved ones. He emphasizes that life will always have its challenges, but through understanding and love, it is possible to navigate even the darkest times with hope.

This heartfelt book wil be available for preorder starting now and officially published on May 13, 2025, through Blue Hat Publishing. Interested readers can find the book at DarylCalfee.com and BlueHatPublishing.com. A Kindle edition will be released on May 30, 2025, providing more accessibility to Daryl's inspiring lessons.

As Daryl reflects on his journey through grief and healing, he reminds us all of the power of storytelling and the importance of leaving behind connections that can guide future generations. In his own words, “The heartache of losing Johanna has given me clarity about what’s truly important in life — love, resilience, and the stories that connect us all.”

With Let's Skip the Bull, Daryl Calfee provides comfort not just for his children but for anyone carrying the weight of loss, encouraging them to embrace their journey with honesty, compassion, and grace.