Understandable grief. And sometimes delight.

The book of Ruth is a short story with deep pain and a happy ending. We love a happy ending. We assume happy endings are appropriate encouragement and meaning for the deep pain. Which is why, in moments of grief, we offer happy ending morals to people.

That’s often not helpful.

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Yesterday, I talked to you about a woman who named herself Mara. It meant bitter. It’s how she introduced herself to people she hadn’t seen in a decade.

“You used to call me loveable, Naomi. But now Go...