A daughter’s journey. A mother’s memories. A life worth remembering.
The book takes us from the streets of Glasgow’s Gorbals through family life, work, wartime service and Egypt, while also telling the story of a daughter coming to understand her mother, and herself, in a new way.
Small Shoes, Impossible to Fill grew from conversations between Maureen Howley and her mother during the Covid period, when Maureen began recording memories of a remarkable life before those stories were lost.
It is a story about family, resilience, independence, ageing, caregiving and the memories that connect one generation to another.
“I learned about you. And I learned about myself.”
A Story Across Generations
At the heart of Small Shoes, Impossible to Fill is the relationship between mother and daughter.
As Maureen listens to and records her mother’s memories, the past begins to reveal a woman whose life existed long before Maureen knew her simply as “Mum”.
Stories of childhood, work, family, wartime Britain and experiences far from Glasgow. These stories gradually form a larger picture, not only of one woman, but of a generation whose everyday lives were rarely recorded.
For Maureen, the process also becomes a personal journey.
“I’ll never fill your shoes. But I learned that’s okay too.”
Why These Stories Matter
Every family has stories that can disappear surprisingly quickly.
Small Shoes, Impossible to Fill is also an invitation to listen: to ask questions, preserve memories and discover more about the people whose lives helped shape our own.