A Hope Observed (Finding Solace Through Shared Stories of Grief)

In the midst of overwhelming or lingering grief, sometimes the only comfort is knowing that you’re not alone. This courageously honest, beautifully designed book offers solace through shared stories of loss. 

Our grief is our own, as unique as a fingerprint, as fragile as a snowflake. Yet others have crawled through this same valley, stumbling blindly under the shadow of death. In the pages of this exquisite book of stories, meditations, and art, you will meet fellow mourners: presidents and poets; scientists and theologians; writers and filmmakers; artists and musicians; homebodies and wanderers. They, too, wrestled with questions known to all who grieve: Why did this happen? Where are my loved ones now? How can I go on? 

The 27 meditations in A Hope Observed offer a chance to understand loss and find meaning in our lives ahead. Bereaved father David Bannon weaves his own story into the stories of others, sharing his struggles with doubt, regret, and unanswerable questions. Each day’s meditation includes Scripture, a reflection prompt, and a work of art that expresses sorrow and love in surprising ways. Bannon also explores startling advances in grief therapy that confirm our suspicions: our dead are with God even as we feel them near; we are not crazy; our grief is normal, healthy, and expected. 

A Hope Observed is unflinchingly honest, revealing how loss can cause even the strongest person to lose their bearings completely, with no “ending point” in sight. Yet, there is a quiet hope that comes in the company of others, and a light that begins to appear as we realize that grief is love, and the One who walks with us knows our sorrows. A Hope Observed uncovers a bedrock truth: There is nothing we can say that God does not understand. There is nothing we can say that God does not want to hear.