death of a child/recent; writer was describing the death of a child as causing a hole in the heart and how eventually the heart heals - not closing the hole, but around it

[Wkd]

This is something I read in the past year but try as I might, I can't come up with it. I know it was towards the end of the book and might even be in the after words. The writer was describing the death of a child as causing a hole in the heart and how eventually the heart heals - not closing the hole, but around it. That the death was something never forgotten, but that in time there would be healing.

It meant a lot to me then, and I would like to pass it along to a friend who needs it now.

[Ms.soule]

Can you remember if this was a fiction title or non-fiction?

[Wkd]

I wish I could - that would help me narrow it down as well. I've looked over the books I read last year, too - and it still won't come to me. I don't have any of the actual titles on hand, though, just on my virtual shelf.

[Ms.soule]

Here's a link to a pdf document with a list of books on the subject, but I think they're all non-fiction:
http://www.fernside.org/resources/lit...

There's also Shadowchild and Searching for the New Normal: My personal journal as my greatest fear is realized--the death of my child..

The only adult fiction accounts of the death of a child I can think of are The Lovely Bones and What Dreams May Come, but I just looked at the afterword to What Dreams May Come and didn't see anything like the quote you mentioned.

[Schlenia]

I read a book recently by Jodi Picoult where the child dies. I believe it was called Handle with Care.

[Wkd]

Ok, maybe I wasn't clear on my original post. The book is NOT about a child dying. The section was part of something else, really just a few paragraphs. It may have been "My Reading Life" by Pat Conroy. Unfortunately, the library copy is unavailable and the closest book store is almost 20 miles away.

A big thank you to the posters above.

[Wkd]

Still wondering what this book might have been.

[Sally]

What was the book actually about. The only thing mentioned is an excerpt about losing a child but you say that has nothing to do with the story. Do you remember any details about the story itself?

[Lou]

This is probably too new to be your book (unless you read French), but it popped into my mind reading your post.

Two Small Footprints in Wet Sand: The Uplifting True Story of a Brave Mother's Quest to Add Life to One Daughter's Numbered Days and Prevent Her Other Daughter's Death

[Wkd]

Sorry to say that I have no idea what the rest of the book was about. Now that it has been awhile, though, I might have better luck looking at the Pat Conroy book again & seeing if that was the book. Thanks for everyone's help & suggestions.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Wkd, are you still looking for this or did you find it? Was it Pat Conroy?

[Wkd]

I haven't found it yet.

[Brenda]

Could it be What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day. There is a passage towards the end of the book which seems familiar or similar but I think it says something about the heart having a scar but never breaking.

[Cheryl]

bump for summer - come back in a couple of months to give it another one, ok?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking?

[Wkd]

Yes, still looking.

[Kris]

I tried searching books.google.com with these phrases -- "death of a child" "hole in the heart".

Grief Is a Journey: Finding Your Path Through Loss by Kenneth J. Doka? Pages 127-128. Another cover: Grief Is a Journey: Finding Your Path Through Loss.

[Wkd]

Thank you for looking.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking now?

[Wkd]

Never found it.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking?