As the fly-leaf says, Becky Aikman is "a widow too young and too modern to accept the role." She tried a standard widow's group and found that she not only didn't fit in, but really wasn't wanted because she went there looking for hope, instead of endless rehashing of the defeat of death. So, she attempted to pull together her own group and set up perimeters to meet once a month on a Saturday night (a difficult night for widows missing their husbands) and to focus on moving forward. Although the group did share their individual pain extensively, they also forged a friendship (the kind which flourishes when each member shares a key experience together) that helped them weather the storms of new beginnings, wrinkles, and unexpected blessings.
The book was certainly encouraging. New life can be carved out of loss. The going may not be easy, but one of the keys to surviving is having someone to walk the road beside you and spur you on to things you might not attempt alone. Although my own losses are nowhere near the level of loss these women have faced, I found myself jealous of this deep bond they have formed and the strength it provided to each individual in the group. I admire their willingness to lay bare their souls for the purposes of this book and to share so openly from their pain (one lost her husband to suicide and another to the results of alcoholism). I also admire their determination to not allow the loss of their spouse to define them for the rest of their lives. This is an example anyone can follow, no matter what loss you are recovering from.
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