My father’s heart, and my mother’s, can still break. In this most essential way, they are still themselves. They are still here.
To stay together until the end was the deepest wish of Rebecca McClanahan’s elderly, frail parents. So when the two of them could no longer care for themselves, Rebecca and her siblings moved them from Indiana to North Carolina, where she and her husband assumed the roles of “first responders” with support from the extended family. Over the course of her parents' final years, Rebecca discovers that the landscape of dementia isn’t entirely bleak if we can hold on long enough to rediscover in our loved ones the essential selves we feared were lost.
Light Falls on Everything takes us inside the intimate rooms of long-term caregiving, where exhaustion, confusion, heartbreak, and grief can shadow the most ordinary days. Still, light flickers in even the darkest corners, revealing moments of tenderness, laughter, absurdity, surprise, and unrelenting love. Emotionally gripping and unstintingly honest, this memoir invites us to reflect on the timeless nature of love and loss and, with it, the unexpected lessons of caregiving: how to move forward into our own uncertain futures, accept grief as a longtime companion, and approach death with some measure of grace.
About the Author :
Rebecca McClanahan is the author of twelve books, including memoirs, essays, poetry, and a writing guide. She teaches in the Queens University of Charlotte MFA program and conducts workshops and readings throughout the country.
Review :
“McClanahan weaves a story about caregiving for her parents that truly stands out, not just for its hauntingly beautiful writing, but for how it addresses caregiving issues from unique vantage points.”—Psychology Today
“Poetic, unflinching, and unforgettable. As I finished this profound depiction of love and loss, what I felt most was a sublime sense of wonder.”—Ron Rash, author of The Caretaker
“McClanahan evokes the joy and sweetness of eldercare while never sidestepping its complexities and grief. I've never read a more precise account of the mysterious inner workings of the human heart."—Dinty W. Moore, author of The Mindful Writer
“A powerful and moving look at how love evolves even through our most trying times.”—Lee Martin, author of The Evening Shades
“Light Falls on Everything is about as honest a book as I've ever read. What shines on every page is love. This should be required reading for all of us.”—Ann Hood, author of Comfort: A Journey Through Grief and The Stolen Child
“McClanahan is a bold and gentle guide as she examines what looking after, and saying goodbye to, our dearest beloveds requires of us. This book is a treasure.”—Jill Christman, author of If This Were Fiction
