The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood

I loved this book.

It is about Mary and her grief over losing her child. It is about Mary finding a way out of her grief.

I liked an idea she muses about in one stage of her grief. She thinks there should be a "Grief 911.” A number to call to have your grief fixed and your heart mended. I don’t think I would want it the way it is described in the book, but I would sure like to have a number to call to make my grief all better.

Why did this book touch my heart? Characters with lines like:

“I always thought I was blessed with this perfect life. And now this.”

“Sometimes, someone, you don’t know well is the best listener.”

“…the listener finds solace in the act of listening.”

The lines about listening reminded me of M.D. Anderson. Sometimes I would have to wait hours for Raymond’s tests to be over. While I was waiting someone else that was waiting would strike up a conversation and the next thing I knew they were telling me about why they were there, and what was happening in their lives. I was always shocked by how many people I met whose spouses left them when they were diagnosed with cancer. However, I did find solace in listening because it let me know that we were not alone in our battle.