Additional information
by Alison Bw Pena (Author), Anne B. White (Editor), Bernadette Pleasant (Foreword by)
This book tells the story of my journey back to living fully after my husband died of pancreatic cancer in 2016. Feeling broken, overwhelmed by grief, with memory gaps, flagging energy, and a deep distrust of my own instincts and abilities, I struggled to manage all aspects of my life, from work to money, from health to relationships.
I searched for resources which fit the experience I was going through and found nothing. Most books were about how to handle finances or release belongings. They did not address feeling lost and afraid, not seeing a hopeful future beyond the horizon of confusion and despair. They weren't written from inside the grief. They didn't address the truth that suppressed grief can resurface months or even years later and impact trust in yourself and others, and future possibilities for purpose and joy. They didn't talk about the people who left or the first year of tears and numbness, and the second of rage which drove people away. They discussed what you can plan for - finances, children - but not those you can't plan for, reaching out for the warmth of a person you will never be able to touch again. So I wrote THAT book, which is profoundly missing in the marketplace, in all its raw messiness.
Led by stories of my own experiences, I share the breakdowns I encountered and the strategies I designed to solve these real life issues for myself. I address the importance of grieving deeply, at your own pace; regaining trust in yourself, your community and the world, as you begin to chart a new path forward alone.
Are you ready to re-engage in life on your own terms, to risk living fully and joyfully again, as I did? If so, you have chosen the right Guide to show you an easier, more effective way to move forward with your grief journey. It's not easy but it's easier with someone who has found a way through herself. If you want to do more than survive, even thrive again on your own terms, this book is for you.
