Love, Loss, and Awakening
(Mis)adventures on the Way Back to Joy
Nonfiction, Family & Relationships, Family Relationships, Death/Grief/Bereavement
| Author: | Dennis P. Freed | ISBN: | 9780997191622 |
| Publisher: | Tolawaken Press, LLC | Publication: | April 6, 2016 |
| Imprint: | Language: | English |
| Author: | Dennis P. Freed |
| ISBN: | 9780997191622 |
| Publisher: | Tolawaken Press, LLC |
| Publication: | April 6, 2016 |
| Imprint: | |
| Language: | English |
The death of a loved one is devastating, and can leave us questioning our new path. Will I ever want to find love again, and if so, how do I find it? What is appropriate behavior for a fifty-four-year-old widowed senior? Should I explore dating sites? Meet women in bars? Rely on introductions from friends? The questions far outnumber the answers.
Dennis and Hope Freed had a fulfilling marriage. Over the course of thirty-two years they built a home, created a loving family, and shared all their dreams with one another and their two sons. Then Hope got cancer. She fought a long, brave battle, but it was one she couldn’t win. Dennis Freed’s beloved wife and best-trusted friend had gone, leaving him alone to figure out a future he’d never imagined.
As he sorted through what society expected of a long-term caregiver and widower, Dennis eventually emerged from mourning, his heart ready for life’s next chapter. Nervously, he began to go out with women again, and endured all the awkward—and hilarious—embarrassments a man who hadn’t dated in decades might expect. He kept on trying, embracing and trusting the process. Love, Loss, and Awakening chronicles a courageous and uplifting journey through sorrow to the rediscovery of happiness.
REVIEWS:
“This is a story of digging deep after loss, finding that being with another is worth the risk, and staying open to lessons both human and Divine. At times an excruciating memoir of living with cancer, at others, a combination of ‘How To’ and, more useful, ‘How NOT To’ of middle-aged dating. Those who have loved deeply will be reminded of what they have or have lost. For others, it’s the promise of how good a relationship can be. It has a happy ending, yet acknowledges that seeking love must always include a willingness to lose again.”—Cynthia Wall, LCSW, author of The Courage to Trust:A Guide to Building Deep and Lasting Relationships
“Get ready to cry, laugh, cringe, and howl with wonder and delight as you go through Dennis Freed’s amazing experiences after the loss of his wife. He offers heartfelt real-life insights on how to cope with the despair and overcome the pain so you can face the world and find love and happiness anew.”—Paul J. Krupin, author of Words People Love to Hear–Simple Verbal Recipes for Making the People Around You Feel Good
“Dennis Freed is an essential voice in the field of self renewal, creation and life purpose. His book is written with a manly engaging voice that pulls no punches; but, is unafraid to express emotion. It is time to hear the masculine side of pulling your life together and loving again. It's one of my favorites.”
—Adriane Berg, host Generation Bold Radio syndicated on BIZTALK, New York Times Age Beat Fellow, author of How Not to Go Broke at 102
“Love, Loss, and Awakening is an engaging story of how one man bounces back after losing the love of his life. It is an ode to the power of being in relationship, especially when faced with incredibly difficult and heartbreaking loss. And it is with much humor that Dennis Freed takes the reader on a journey to find what we are all looking for—to be joyous and fulfilled in relationship.”
—Harville Hendrix, Ph.D., and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D., Creators of Imago Therapy and authors of Getting the Love You Want
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dennis P. Freed is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He earned a BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Rhode Island, and then entered the field of Construction Management and Development. Later in his career he became an associate professor at Pratt University in New York. When he’s not writing, Dennis enjoys outdoor sports and playing Native American flutes.
The death of a loved one is devastating, and can leave us questioning our new path. Will I ever want to find love again, and if so, how do I find it? What is appropriate behavior for a fifty-four-year-old widowed senior? Should I explore dating sites? Meet women in bars? Rely on introductions from friends? The questions far outnumber the answers.
Dennis and Hope Freed had a fulfilling marriage. Over the course of thirty-two years they built a home, created a loving family, and shared all their dreams with one another and their two sons. Then Hope got cancer. She fought a long, brave battle, but it was one she couldn’t win. Dennis Freed’s beloved wife and best-trusted friend had gone, leaving him alone to figure out a future he’d never imagined.
As he sorted through what society expected of a long-term caregiver and widower, Dennis eventually emerged from mourning, his heart ready for life’s next chapter. Nervously, he began to go out with women again, and endured all the awkward—and hilarious—embarrassments a man who hadn’t dated in decades might expect. He kept on trying, embracing and trusting the process. Love, Loss, and Awakening chronicles a courageous and uplifting journey through sorrow to the rediscovery of happiness.
REVIEWS:
“This is a story of digging deep after loss, finding that being with another is worth the risk, and staying open to lessons both human and Divine. At times an excruciating memoir of living with cancer, at others, a combination of ‘How To’ and, more useful, ‘How NOT To’ of middle-aged dating. Those who have loved deeply will be reminded of what they have or have lost. For others, it’s the promise of how good a relationship can be. It has a happy ending, yet acknowledges that seeking love must always include a willingness to lose again.”—Cynthia Wall, LCSW, author of The Courage to Trust:A Guide to Building Deep and Lasting Relationships
“Get ready to cry, laugh, cringe, and howl with wonder and delight as you go through Dennis Freed’s amazing experiences after the loss of his wife. He offers heartfelt real-life insights on how to cope with the despair and overcome the pain so you can face the world and find love and happiness anew.”—Paul J. Krupin, author of Words People Love to Hear–Simple Verbal Recipes for Making the People Around You Feel Good
“Dennis Freed is an essential voice in the field of self renewal, creation and life purpose. His book is written with a manly engaging voice that pulls no punches; but, is unafraid to express emotion. It is time to hear the masculine side of pulling your life together and loving again. It's one of my favorites.”
—Adriane Berg, host Generation Bold Radio syndicated on BIZTALK, New York Times Age Beat Fellow, author of How Not to Go Broke at 102
“Love, Loss, and Awakening is an engaging story of how one man bounces back after losing the love of his life. It is an ode to the power of being in relationship, especially when faced with incredibly difficult and heartbreaking loss. And it is with much humor that Dennis Freed takes the reader on a journey to find what we are all looking for—to be joyous and fulfilled in relationship.”
—Harville Hendrix, Ph.D., and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D., Creators of Imago Therapy and authors of Getting the Love You Want
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dennis P. Freed is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He earned a BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Rhode Island, and then entered the field of Construction Management and Development. Later in his career he became an associate professor at Pratt University in New York. When he’s not writing, Dennis enjoys outdoor sports and playing Native American flutes.