Reading this book was an interesting and heartbreaking experience. A year of magical thinking, a journey through the grieving process. While facing the death of her husband, she must deal with the illness of her only child. This book touches me and makes me think about what would happen if the person I love died. This article reflects my thoughts and feelings about this woman's journey that has been explored in books and videos. I will also explore the author's process of adaptation and how she sees her changed self. The title of the book actually defines how she went through her grieving process. She believed her husband would return and questioned certain events that could have prevented his death. I'm actually comfortable with this line of thinking. When something bad happens in my life, I usually think about what would happen if I did it differently. Maybe things would have turned out differently. I actually used this line of thinking when a classmate died last year in a car accident. Before he passed, my classmates and I stopped for lunch. I thought if we hadn't had lunch, he would still be here. If we hadn't all gone to VA Stand-down, he would still be here. I try not to think that way, but it comes to mind. This is a normal process that people go through when dealing with grief. It's nice to see someone put their experience on paper. In reality, his grieving process was normal and healthy. Telling someone how to grieve is like telling someone how to breathe. Individuals grieve in different ways and there is nothing wrong with that. Throughout the book, she tried to do things that were familiar to her and her husband. In trying to keep it alive, it's perfectly normal. She seemed to be… middle of paper… to the point of feeling like a wife and mother, but the loved ones who classified her as such are no longer here. The main purpose of the book is to show his evolving self and how he adapts to his new life. His life is different. The man she was with for over forty years is gone, she has to adapt to loneliness. His life process was fascinating to read. At first she wanted to stay alone so her husband could come back, then she didn't because all she did was think about him. She considered herself an independent person before her husband's death; now he realized how dependent he really was. He changed to fit his situation, to cope. This book was an interesting read. Normally I don't choose the kind of pain deposited in the book. I usually like happier books. This book is very detailed about the grief process and I believe it will help people deal with grief and loss.