Summary

In the chapter “Stitches,” Lamott changes her focus from tragedy in general to the loss of a loved one in particular. She describes these times of grief, which the world insists we get over as quickly as possible, can sometimes seem like life hands us ugly squares that do not match or even coordinate out of which to make a quilt. She tells her readers it is healthy to be a mess for a while after a tragedy but that eventually one will have to get up and begin living again. She suggests the best way to start living is to symbolically sew around all the ugly squares life has handed out with the same color embroidery thread. This thread, she says might be keeping close to a few trusted friends and developing daily routines and rituals. This thread, she explains, can help to...