After Laura Munson's husband tells her that he isn't sure he wants to be married to her anymore, and that he isn't sure that he had ever loved her, she begins her memoir as a way to cope with the uncertainty. They had been together 20 years and had two children, ages 8 and 12. She continues to live on their rural Montana property, with her husband sometimes leaving for days at a time. She tries to make excuses to the children so that they don't feel deserted by their dad. She works hard to apply the philosophy that the end of suffering happens with the end of wanting; that our happiness lies within our own control. For most of us that would be quite quite a challenge, and it is for her, too.
She writes a compelling story, delving into her youth, her family relationships, her history with her husband, and their current situation. However, like some of the close friends that Laura confided to about the situation, I find myself sometimes wondering why she is trying so hard to be so sympathetic towards her husband, wondering how she can keep up hope that he will work through his crisis and return to stay with her.
This memoir – filled with bits of philosophy and poetry, as well as her thoughts – feels honest, sometimes raw, and was very hard to put down.
