In life, Kathleen could not reconcile with Kathleen’s mother Pat.  After Pat passed away, they could.  This is a book on how a mother and daughter are able to share their stories with each other, and through the processes of sharing, find reconciliation.  By sharing their views on events, they are able to understand how each affected the other’s life, how others experienced their actions and behaviors.  Throughout their life, they saw primarily the harm, the hardships inflicted on them by others.  Through sharing their stories, they were able to get to know each other and understand why they behaved the way they did.  Understand why there were bursts of anger, how they treated others when they were in pain, how emotional wounds affected their behavior.  Through sharing their stories, they were able to be heard, to find worth, belonging, and acceptance. 

 

The writing quality is mixed.  The path to reconciliation is emotional, through sharing tragic stories.  A reader should be emotionally prepared.  The conversation that occurs is with someone who passed away.  Pat’s responses and changes in thinking are based on what Kathleen thinks they would be.  Although the honestly in responses and the changes are desired, its uncertain if they would have happened while Pat lived.  Reconciliation takes immense effort to hear what another has to say.