To contact Ching or order a copy, email her at [email protected] or send her a message through her Facebook account.
In this book, Ching, as she is fondly called, draws from her experience of how her Christian faith took her from all stages of grief to finally accepting her husband's death and moving forward.
Regardless of your faith or religion, this book captures the pain of losing a loved one from sickness, the struggles of recovering from the death of someone you never thought you'd lose.
By taking the right steps to live with grief, she tells us it's possible to see the vibrance of life again.
Here are three things that I want to share with you about the book.
Lights On by Ching Barretto
This is a book about enduring love.
Ching lost her husband to a terminal illness a few years ago, and even after his passing, that love remains. With the time that had passed, she learned to open herself to new paths and connections. Amidst her husband's battle with cancer and other family concerns, Ching stayed devoted to her faith and family.
Read my latest post about love here.
This is a book about love for the self.
Through the depths of despair, Ching picked herself up by taking better care of herself. She gained the courage and energy to extend that love to her family. She learned that loving herself is not selfish but a way to love those who are important to us.
Our relationships are largely affected by how we feel in our bodies and minds. When we take care of our own needs, we can look at other people's needs and have the energy to fill their cups.
This book is a lamp to guide you on your way to acceptance.
The story is heart-wrenching. The depth of her sorrow is intricately, intimately described by her questions about how life will be moving forward. What's next? I wanted to know, too. Gradually, Ching found the right recipe - positive habits, the constant love and support from family and friends, and her faith.
Later, Ching's sorrow became a source of inspiration to write this book. I feel so fortunate to be one of the first few readers! 😀
Lights On by Ching Barretto
It is possible to live with grief.
Despite the threat of sickness, death, and other sufferings, life goes on. Time moves forward. There's work to do, bills to pay, and people to take care of (including ourselves). It is healthy to grieve (and grieve if you must) but staying in one little sad corner does not serve anyone.
Grief stays in the background while we continue living. We cannot totally eliminate it, we can simply allow it to visit us from time to time. In The Year of Magical Thinking, late writer Joan Didion shares that 'grief comes in waves'.
Ma. Cristina Ching Barretto, author of Lights On.
This book is for those who had suffered immeasurable grief or living with its remnants. This can also be a big help to you, your friend or family member if you feel they need someone to lead the way out of the dark.
To contact Ching or order a copy, email her at [email protected] or send her a message through her Facebook account.
Read this if you plan on visiting Thailand soon.
Here's a piece about writing through troubled times.
Written during a group writing sessions at Yellow Coworking Space, Nimmanahaeminda Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand.