The title indicates that the book is primarily about love. It begins with the funeral of the author's husband, who was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia and died in his early forties. But this is not a morbid tale tale of suffering, nor a predictable book on illness and death.

On a structural level the author's voice is complemented with excerpts from her husband's diary as well as e-mails to friends and her own dreams. The book also integrates conventional practices and new age ideas in such a way that it appeals to people with various viewpoints.

The second half of the book describes several examples of her communication with the deceased, as well as the significance of the numbers 1 and 9 in their marriage. After his death, Marthie travels to Peru to follow the Inca trail. This literal journey is a metaphor for the spiritual journey that unfolds within her and she finds answers to existential questions.

The final image of the story is in the colour of Red, which is the colour of life, love and passion. In Peru, on tour with South Africans and Americans, Marthie is told, via a channel, that Derik wants her to buy herself a present, from him. It had to be something to wrap around her shoulders, it had to be red, and she had to buy it in Peru. The item turns out to be a Red Pashmina. The significance of this, as the closing image, is that the story is about life, about passion and about energy. The need to experience life in all its facets, and to grow.

In times of family crisis, medical emergency, or death of a loved one, there are many questions that must be answered and obligations that must be met. These are troubling times. Having pertinent personal, family, and financial information along with a record of all obligations readily available will help answer questions and ease the confusion and chaos. This is the who, what, where, when, and why of personal organizers, keeping information readily available at a moment's notice. Do you know who to immediately contact in case of emergency? Do you know what obligations your loved one has committed to? Do you know where pertinent records and items of importance are kept? Do you know when to take care of particular obligations? Do you know why it is important to keep these records? If you can't answer yes to all these questions and many, many more, gathering important personal details in one place is an essential step to take. My Life Personal Organizer is specifically designed to put important information and contact information at your fingertips in times of trouble. It can help to ease the transition of responsibilities and obligations when you lose or must care for a loved one.

For the Parents, Siblings, Family members, and close friends who have come to known the overwhelming sadness after the loss of a child, the road ahead will prove to be the most difficult travel of a life time, knowing your lives have changed forever. Within this book, the authors kind and impathetic ways will hold a promise that everyone will quickly discover, that first, you're not alone, secondly, that we will recover with a new perception as all will ask the number one question "WHY." Grief will begin to evolve to a healthier self. The daily responsibilities will become less problematic as each and everyone we be reminded that you life must continue, all you need do is look within the eyes of a loved one; there you will recognize that there are so many others who will need you, depend on you for support, and guidance. The same guidance the author relates by providing you with the tools to dissect your human emotions, and then into faith and healing.

Losing a loved one is a scary and confusing event for teenagers, but one that can be made easier through the use of literature and informed mentoring from a caring adult. This teacher friendly reference resource and bibliography provides tools for those who work with young adults to help them come to terms with the grieving process. Literacy experts and counseling professionals are uniquely paired in each chapter to explore specific types of loss and ways in which professionals can help students to explore their feelings by reading about those in similar situations. This novel approach encourages young people to cope with their losses while improving their literacy skills.

Aware of the many ways in which adolescents can suffer loss, Allen has chosen a different theme for each chapter. These themes vary from coping with the death of a parent, to coping with violent deaths, to coping with an AIDS-related death. Annotated bibliographies in each chapter provide a wealth of information for those seeking the materials they need to address these issues, and original pieces written by young adult authors provide a rich context from which to work.

It was October when the leaves are in their prettiest colors: orange, red, yellow and on the ground some brown. Sue sat on the porch thinking of her childhood and her two children, the games they played together and the learning they shared. Yes, she had the good life and was blessed and loved by her children and husband, Jack. In the background she could hear their son Billy's loud giggling and their puppy Rusty, barking. The only one she missed hearing was Anne, their older daughter. Sue knew where Anne was, especially this time of day on Friday. Anne and Jill, her best friend, were playing together in her room. She was always playing with dolls, but then, she was just like Sue when she was little. Jack was due home from work as she looked at her watch and figured she'd better go in and start dinner. As she was going in the front door, the backdoor slammed and a little boy's voice could be heard yelling. Such joys the children were and after dinner things would settle down, or she hoped. When dinner was on the table and was everyone together, meal prayers would be said. How long does it take to say grace and be thankful? Well, with the knocking on the door and the doorbell ringing, Sue thought dinner would never begin especially when each time Jack went to the door and no one was there. Was it their mind playing tricks on them or was someone really there? Follow the pranks and comedy in this heartfelt story of a family with everyday lessons.

"This wonderful book shows you how to develop the internal strength you need to move forward with your life."

-Brian Tracy, author of "Live a Wonderful Life"

"How do I move past the death of my loved one?"

Whether the loss of a loved one is sudden or the result of a long illness, it is difficult to be prepared for the flood of emotions that will surely come to those left behind. Throughout her life, author Cindy Cipriani has had to cope with losing many special loved ones. Each time, her grief was different. In "Moving Past: The Death of a Loved One," she offers a simple yet effective guide through the grieving process to finding peace and happiness again.

"Moving Past: The Death of a Loved One" offers insight and many useful tips on self-care and healing for those who are making their way through a personal loss.

Cipriani describes ten steps that each person experiences as they journey through grief. Each person takes these ten steps at his or her own pace. This helpful guidebook is organized to reflect the various emotional stages chapter by chapter and in several special passages in the book. Each passage seeks to ease you through the moment by providing a wise quote, a few thoughts to ponder, an action step, and a place to journal. Reading a page each day can assist in formulating a new life strategy by keeping our loved ones close and keeping them with us always.

Communication experts offer examples and expertise about end-of-life conversations to inspire, teach, and encourage the reader to have their own and to grow from them.

Death is one thing we cannot control. We will all face the death of a loved one. And many, if not most, people in our culture will be hesitant and unprepared to say goodbye.

The Good Goodbye is meant to help those who must say goodbye to a loved one who is dying. In it, readers will discover how culture affects final conversations, and that often the last interactions may not consist of words but gestures and expressions. They will find examples from real people interviewed over many years, with themes that include love, everyday talk, taking care of business, identity messages, spiritual messages, and healing difficult relationships.

Readers will learn about the positive outcomes of final conversations, both from the advice of children and the detailed stories of adults who were changed profoundly in their attitudes and life paths. They will also see that many people have experienced communication with their loved one after that loved one has passed. Finally, readers will discover how others have overcome negativity to engage in the good goodbye, and how they can improve their own preparedness to have final conversations.

Anyone who faces the death of a loved one―and that will be all of us―can gain from reading this book. We have found that hospice workers, nurses, caregivers, assisted-living personnel, spiritual advisors, and grief groups are especially interested. But anyone who is walking the path with someone close who is dying will seek this information and enjoy the inspiration.

The main message: Be there. Listen. Love. Be grateful for the opportunity to grow.