Author: Christine Hassing
The physical loss of a loved one is always hard, and it takes time to accept and then process the end of a relationship and then the beginning of a life without the loved one. And even then, when loss comes again in life, feelings from a previous loss can resurface, and one is then forced to try to cope with both losses. This is what happened to the author Christine Hassing.
In To the Moon and Back to Me, Hassing writes in short journal entries as she processes the loss of her four-legged running partner Too. To the author, this partner was more than a dog; it was the member who completed their family.
“In my dream, I handed you to your daddy, our family of three, you as our baby girl, to make us better people, to make us complete. . . . The child I didn’t bring into the world in you I would find.”
When reading along, though the journal entries speak directly of images of Roo, Hassing’s first loss are hinted at in the pages.
The journal entries, which begin with dates to help the reader follow along, go back and forth from the present to memories — the present trying to cope with the current loss of Roo and the memories thinking about the encouragement Roo provided when running alongside.
Written in the first person to Roo, Hassing describes well the feelings of loss that she experiences over one year. The reader walks alongside the author as she processes her feelings, slowly comes to acceptance, and even finds a way to move on.
This book is a positive read for anyone struggling with a loss. It can help the reader process their emotions and grow, while learning to live when the circumstances have changed.
Thank YOU for the time given to read To the Moon and for the gracious review provided. Much appreciated!