The Light Within Us: A Father's Search for Meaning After Tragedy

The Light Within Us traces a young family's harrowing, and ultimately losing battle with cancer. After the terrible loss of his wife and mother of his children, the bereaved husband's complex, faltering journey from anger and grief leads to a liberating discovery of the true source of joy, freedom and beautiful "light within us". The author is honest and open about the shortcomings and failings that hinder, and often threatened to derail his healing. He describes his journey through sorrow and fury at the often clueless, though well-meaning, advice of relatives and friends, the seemingly hit-or-miss efforts of medical specialists and-most baffling of all-the seeming indifference, or downright cruelty, of the universe.

With two children to raise alone, the single father faces adversity far beyond what his conventional wisdom and social conditioning have equipped him to deal with. He explores the depth of his experiences, struggling to not only parent alone but also support his children through their grief and healing process, all while trying to navigate his own sorrow through these intense life-changing events. The ordeal challenges his self-limiting beliefs and leads him down one blind alley after another, but ultimately guides him on to a new path of painful but positive growth that transforms his understanding of himself and of the meaning of life and death. The author shares his experiences to help guide others to the realization that no matter what we are faced with, there is a light and strength within all of us that is a source of unlimited power and love.

For anyone struggling with grief and loss, especially widowed single parents and single fathers, The Light Within Us is essential reading.