The Grieving Gift is a beautifully told story about sisterhood and the extraordinary gifts waiting after the heartbreak of loss.
When Margaret is diagnosed with cancer, she puts all her faith in the L.A. doctors at Cedar Sinai Medical Center, believing they hold a magical deck of cards. But in the end, the final card is dealt – the Hospice card; no more miracles for Margaret. But Janice, Margaret's little sister, promises her big sister she will be by her side every step of the way.
The emotional twists and turns of the deathwatch transport the sisters on a journey through their past. From the repercussions of Janice's teen pregnancy, to fifteen years later when Margaret fosters Janice's fifteen-year-old rebellious niece, and finally into the present and Janice's sixteen-years of estrangement from her drug addicted daughter, whom Janice believes may be dead or brain-dead from her addictive lifestyle. Through their reminiscing, the women are reminded of who they were and who they have become.
When the conversation eventually turns to the question, "What happens after?" Margaret surprises her little sister by revealing that she had no illusions. "There is no God. When you die, you're dead. That's it."
Janice asks, "How do you explain the coincidences in life?" and Margaret responds, "They are just coincidences. Nothing more."
Even though Janice thinks there is someone or something bigger than herself running the show, she recognizes an opportunity. She suggests that she and Margaret make a pact. "Soon you will know for sure which of us is right. Promise me you will give me a sign, like a Grieving Gift. If I am right and you are wrong.
Warm, intimate, and heartfelt, The Grieving Gift is a story of letting go, holding on, and believing in the possibilities of grieving gifts.
