I have an essay published in the "On the Square" section of First Things today. It is called "The Reality of Hope." Here's the opening paragraph:

After she died, it was as if I had broken my arm. A part of me ached all the time, and something that had been functional was now useless, and everything about my daily routine needed to be navigated differently. It was difficult, for instance, to stand in line at the post office or buy groceries or make dinner. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

Click here to read the full article, in which I explain why "experiencing the reality of death helped me to discover the reality of hope." And please feel free to comment!