You Are Not Alone: A Heartfelt Guide for Grief, Healing, and Hope

Debbie Augenthaler

Author,  May 2018

Has someone you love died? Or have you experienced another kind of loss where you feel like a part of you has died? Do you feel like you're going crazy? You're not crazy. Do you feel alone in how you are experiencing your grief? Have people said things to you that cause you to feel like no one understands? Or do people say nothing at all? You're not alone. I've been there and felt all you are feeling and more.

When I was 36 years old my husband Jim died suddenly and unexpectedly, in my arms, of a heart attack. He had been healthy and vibrant — the doctors compared the probability of his death in this way to being struck by lightning. That lightning strike ended my life as I knew it, and thus began the "baptism by fire" that brought me to my new future.

When this happened, I thought my life was over. I thought I would never heal and felt hopeless about the future. If someone told me I would heal and be happy again I would not have believed them. Yet here I am, living a life filled with love, hope, and meaning. 

This is my story of loss, healing, and the spiritual journey that led me to know that love never dies. This book is about hope. As hard as it might be for you to believe right now, I want you to know: you will heal, you will not only survive, but you can thrive and find joy and meaning in your new life. This may not be the life you had before; but it is still your life to live.