Grief Sucks ... But Love Bears All Things: How Grief Tore Me Apart and Put Me Back Together

I could very much relate to this book since my husband of 22 years also died suddenly 17 years ago. After "recovering" I have felt bad that I didn't do grief better than I did. All these years later I wish I could have been more stoic, you know, like the Jackie Kennedy I watched as a young girl on TV. Or many widows that I have known since then. But I wasn't stoic, I was a mess held together by friends and family. Reading Gayle Taylor Davis' words made me feel less alone in the way that I grieved. I thought I was the only one who sobbed while lying on the floor…or who drove around town at night crying. No one else I know has admitted to that. Or the fact that I also laughed a lot in the midst of crying….I'd always thought that was on odd reaction but Gayle says she did that too! But I also truly love the way Gayle explained how we truly can recover and that happy days DO return in time. And how we should look at those older white haired women sitting alone in restaurants as SURVIVORS. Grief can be over come….I did find out that for myself, but I think by reading her book I've been given permission now to recover from some of the guilt that I didn't do grief as well I thought I should have!Jill Heasley Shelley

Gayle Taylor Davis' book is a blend of poetry and reminiscence about the aftermath of suddenly losing her husband. As she states at the beginning of the book, this one isn't one of those "how to" books that walk you through the grieving process (nothing against those - they have their role, just this is not one of those books). It's a glimpse into the raw reality of grief. As the title suggests, she sugar-coats nothing.I liked the honesty of this book - it's right there in the title. Some of us have been unfortunate enough to experience grief that cuts out a piece of your heart and leaves you changed forever. This book is a compassionate friend saying, "you're not alone, I understand, and in this moment you can be whoever and whatever you need to be. And you can survive." I like the mix of poetry and prose and I have to say the very first poem floored me, it was perfect.

Gayle Taylor Davis’s "Grief Sucks, But Love Bears All Things" provides a raw, honest, and cathartic look at what it’s like to lose a beloved spouse. Davis pairs her own poetry and prose as she guides the reader through her journey from sudden loss to eventual healing. I order it in multiples, because I always want to have a copy on hand to give to someone in need, or to therapists or members of the clergy who provide grief counseling. I wish I could award it more than five stars!

It is amazing to me how your whole life changes in an instant, you feel like you just got punched in the throat, and can't seem to catch a breath ... for months. Sometimes, even years. Gayle's book captures this journey in such a real, raw, beautiful way - the peaks and valleys, the laughter and tears, the uncertainty, chaos, and eventually ... the hope. Life does move on at some point (even though you sometimes feel like you're faking it along the way), and eventually, you can move forward ... honoring your lost beloveds, and simultaneously embracing the future. Beautiful. And ... thank you. ❤️❤️🎈❤️❤️

Taylor's moving story helped me through my own journey through the depths of despair when my husband of 24 years died. Knowing that there is life after the death of a husband gave me hope and helped me process the ups and downs of grief.

Loss comes in so many different ways, not always by death, but the heartache is still there. The pain is unbearable and "it sucks".Gayle wrote a narrative with poetry that can touch the heart of all people, regardless of the loss. It is a must read and makes a a wonderful gift.

Such a touching book, but also so much more. I learned a lot about grief from different perspectives which I know will be helpful to all who read this book. I would highly recommend this book for anyone.

The title alone says it all. And yet this book was not an additional burden on the heart as are some grief books. I loved the poetry and was comforted by her journey as I walk through my own.

I like this, it has poems about grief which are good.Would recommend it