Some losses are so subtle they go unnoticed, some so overwhelming and cruel they seem unbearable. In painful moments we must make a choice: Will we allow the difficulties we face to become forces of destruction in our lives, or will we find a way to transform our suffering into a source of strength?

A theologian with the heart of a poet, Rabbi David Wolpe explores the meaning of loss, and the way we can use its inevitable appearance in our lives as a source of strength rather than a source of despair. Wolpe creates a remarkably fluid account of how we might find a way out of overwhelming feelings of helplessness and instead create meaning in difficult times.

"An exceptional book. Through a mix of scholarship, pathos, anecdote and personal experience, David Wolpe takes on this most crucial subject with the healing hands of a teacher. I gaze with awe at his completed task." --Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie

"In this wonderful volume, Rabbi David Wolpe combines wisdom and compassion; it is also highly readable." --Elie Wiesel