I know of just one word – profound – to describe the book I Know It in My Heart by Mary Plouffe, who lives in Maine and is a doctor and psychologist. The subtitle describes the book this way – Walking Through Grief With A Child, and it is all of that and much more.
My friend, author Monica Wood, describes it best on the back cover: “A searing, beautifully written story of unfathomable grief and unbreakable family bonds. If you are a human being, read this.”
The story is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Mary’s sister Martha endures many hospital procedures, trying to rid her of cancer. Some are experimental procedures, and sadly, none of them worked, and some made her situation worse.
Martha’s struggle had a profound impact on both Mary and Martha’s three-year-old daughter Liamarie. While her dad continued to be very important to Liamarie, her aunt Mary was too, spending lots of time with her, as they both grieved for Martha.
As a person with ALS, which has no cure, I found Mary’s book to be a very helpful with my own struggle. It took Mary and Liamarie many years to get over Martha’s death, and as they suffered through those years, they taught all of us some important lessons.
I think it’s extraordinary that Mary not only shared this story with us, but did it in such a personal way, holding nothing back.
The book has won a number of awards. Author Susan Conley described the story well on the back cover: “An achingly beautiful family guide to loss and healing told with grace and wit and the keen understanding of a sister’s grief and a child’s capacity for hope.”
Everyone should read this amazing book.