Loss is a Necessary Part of Life

Judith Viorst drives home her point through the entire book that life consists of a series of losses. Without them, there would be no gains. If we did not lose the symbiosis with our parents as children, we would not gain the sense of curiosity and wonder to step outside the world of our mothers. If we did not lose the bond with our children that allows us to protect them at every moment, we would not be able to establish a healthy relationship with them as adults. If we did not lose the romantic expectations we bring into marriage, marriage could not exist, since idealistic goals and dreams hit the wall of reality at some point. Our spouses are no more perfect than we are, and we all bring childhood needs and desires to our marriages. Some of the more subtle...