For Whom the Bells Toll Now? | A Hole in the World - Part 3

We made it! The final episode covering Amanda Held Opelt’s “A Hole in the World”! As we complete our first book, we would like to open our comments and direct messages for your final thoughts! Please feel free to join in our conversation, and see Kristi's thoughts below: Kristi's Closing thoughts: I first heard about "A Hole in the World" from a close friend. She had lost a spouse and was struggling to sit down and concentrate on any reading. Yet, this was one she connected with; I think it helped her feel seen. On one hand, this fascinating blend of a book is a rich and engaging exploration of grief rituals. Despite the heavy topic, I love the way she taught about varied traditions and how they help(ed) people bond and heal. "A Hole in the World" is also a deeply personal book. Opelt is vulnerable with her own grief story, and she does not shy away from the heartbreak. However, this is overwhelmingly a book about hope and how faith-filled rituals helped ground her in the truth that we are never alone because we have a God who is with us. "By showing up for liturgy and tradition, I found that God had been there all along. The habits themselves were healing. My heart and my body just needed to catch up with the truth. Even when I didn't feel like it, God was with me. He was fortifying me. He was giving me wisdom and grace for the challenges. Together, we shared the labor of grief. And we shared the labor of faith." (p. 219-220)