Leaning into Love is a poignant and courageous memoir about love grief, loss and finding a path to wholeness and healing after the death of a beloved spouse. Grief and loss of a loved one is a universal human experience. Through her own story, Elaine pulled me in and connected me to my own experiences with love and grief, “a package deal” in her words. It touched me so deeply, I was often brought to tears as I read it.

Elaine’s writing is beautiful--painfully raw, honest and engaging. It flowed seamlessly from the initial diagnosis of her husband Vic’s Lymphoma to his eventual death and funeral then to her life alone. Intertwined are flashbacks of happier days and the spiritual journey she and Vic took together. She brought me so close to her experience, I felt I was there with her feeling the love, the pain and heartache of loss then rejoicing with her as she began to find her way alone. Though her religious practices of Buddhism are different than mine, the message of peace and healing through one’s faith resonated deeply with me. She shows how her connection with nature and use of rituals brought her solace, though she makes depths of her grief perfectly clear. There is no sugar-coating of the experience.

While it is gripping and powerful in its honesty, it also offers hope, solace and guidance for anyone who has lost a spouse or anyone who has loved and lost. It is a book I will enthusiastically recommend to others in need and to those who care for those grieving, such as social workers, counselors, healthcare providers. It is also a book I will keep handy for myself when the need arises. ( )