A review from Synchrosecrets.com
Anyone who is a parent with older teenage and young adult children who have spread their wings and have begun to flee the nest, understand the innate concerns that accompany their children’s ‘coming of age’. We continue to carry
the parental concerns, all the while understanding that we must allow them to go; allow them to fly, without clipping their wings and restricting their flights.
And there is, always, the hope that our children will be safe and happy and will chase their own dreams to fruition. We pray that life will treat them kindly and that their falls, their scrapes and bruises, will be few and far between because Mom and Dad are no longer close-by to kiss the hurt away.
When a knock comes at the door in the middle of the night, I believe we instinctively know, before we open the door, that whoever is standing outside isn’t bringing good news. And that is how it began for Lori and Brian: that knock on the front door in the middle of the night. Their beloved, precocious daughter Maia, barely 21 years old, had been killed in an automobile accident.
I was pulled into their lives as I read the preface, before I had even turned to the first chapter. As I continued to turn the pages, I felt as though I was there with them, and that they were here with me. The story of Lori’s and Brian’s moment-by-moment journey through the valley of the shadow of Maia’s transition into the realm of The Other Side reached out to me and wrapped me up in a cocoon of their emotions; of their memories of their daughter; of their struggle to cope with her physical demise, and of the staggering awareness that they would never see her physical presence again in this life.
Theirs is a story that doesn’t censor its devastating tears or its magnificent joys. I didn’t weep until I reached the epilogue, and at that point, my own tears joined theirs in a river of hope; of appreciation for the years shared with Maia: and most of all, of unconditional love for a child and for all that her physical death and on-going spiritual presence taught them and continues to teach them. Maia bequeathed a legacy of her personality; of music and poetry and sparkling, occasionally acerbic, wit.
I didn’t find the book to be depressing. It is filled with uplifting synchronicity after synchronicity; with the undeniable Essence of Maia, who manages to find both subtle and screaming ways of letting her family and friends know she is HERE with them; that she is well and happy; that she hasn’t left and doesn’t leave them.
Lori and Brian use every modality available to them to learn to cope with the loss of Maia’s physical presence. They take each step of their healing with tears of joy and tears of sorrow, because the two cannot be separated.
The loss of one’s child is, for me, an unthinkable circumstance. For me, there would be no greater challenge and I cannot even begin to imagine such tragedy, or how I would cope with it. But Maia’s mantra was, and is, “SEIZE THE DAY”. One of her favorite sayings was, “When it storms, learn to dance in the rain!” And that is what her family
and friends are doing, and what they are sharing in this book. Each of them is Seizing The Day, and Learning To Dance In The Rain.
I felt embraced and warmed by the messages in Maia’s story, and in the journey her family and friends are taking in the wake of her whirlwind life. She is gone too soon, yet isn’t gone at all.
Read the book. Have a box of tissues handy, but your tears will be tears of joy as well as of pain and empathy, and learn to Seize The Day and Dance In The Rain. It lessened my burdens and left me feeling as if this big bad world is a
much better place because Maia spent a little bit of time here.
the parental concerns, all the while understanding that we must allow them to go; allow them to fly, without clipping their wings and restricting their flights.
And there is, always, the hope that our children will be safe and happy and will chase their own dreams to fruition. We pray that life will treat them kindly and that their falls, their scrapes and bruises, will be few and far between because Mom and Dad are no longer close-by to kiss the hurt away.
When a knock comes at the door in the middle of the night, I believe we instinctively know, before we open the door, that whoever is standing outside isn’t bringing good news. And that is how it began for Lori and Brian: that knock on the front door in the middle of the night. Their beloved, precocious daughter Maia, barely 21 years old, had been killed in an automobile accident.
I was pulled into their lives as I read the preface, before I had even turned to the first chapter. As I continued to turn the pages, I felt as though I was there with them, and that they were here with me. The story of Lori’s and Brian’s moment-by-moment journey through the valley of the shadow of Maia’s transition into the realm of The Other Side reached out to me and wrapped me up in a cocoon of their emotions; of their memories of their daughter; of their struggle to cope with her physical demise, and of the staggering awareness that they would never see her physical presence again in this life.
Theirs is a story that doesn’t censor its devastating tears or its magnificent joys. I didn’t weep until I reached the epilogue, and at that point, my own tears joined theirs in a river of hope; of appreciation for the years shared with Maia: and most of all, of unconditional love for a child and for all that her physical death and on-going spiritual presence taught them and continues to teach them. Maia bequeathed a legacy of her personality; of music and poetry and sparkling, occasionally acerbic, wit.
I didn’t find the book to be depressing. It is filled with uplifting synchronicity after synchronicity; with the undeniable Essence of Maia, who manages to find both subtle and screaming ways of letting her family and friends know she is HERE with them; that she is well and happy; that she hasn’t left and doesn’t leave them.
Lori and Brian use every modality available to them to learn to cope with the loss of Maia’s physical presence. They take each step of their healing with tears of joy and tears of sorrow, because the two cannot be separated.
The loss of one’s child is, for me, an unthinkable circumstance. For me, there would be no greater challenge and I cannot even begin to imagine such tragedy, or how I would cope with it. But Maia’s mantra was, and is, “SEIZE THE DAY”. One of her favorite sayings was, “When it storms, learn to dance in the rain!” And that is what her family
and friends are doing, and what they are sharing in this book. Each of them is Seizing The Day, and Learning To Dance In The Rain.
I felt embraced and warmed by the messages in Maia’s story, and in the journey her family and friends are taking in the wake of her whirlwind life. She is gone too soon, yet isn’t gone at all.
Read the book. Have a box of tissues handy, but your tears will be tears of joy as well as of pain and empathy, and learn to Seize The Day and Dance In The Rain. It lessened my burdens and left me feeling as if this big bad world is a
much better place because Maia spent a little bit of time here.
BALBOA PRESS CUSTOMER REVIEWS
"Amazing book...heart wrenching story, but the most inspiring book that I have ever read. Anyone that has ever lost a loved one absolutely should read this book to see that there is in fact life after death...all we have to do is to
see the signs...thank you Brian and Lori for sharing your story to help so many.... "
“Learning to Dance in the Rain is a poignant glimpse into a family’s courageous journey to find healing and hope in the aftermath of tragedy. Their story is an inspiration to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. With sensitivity and humor, they share their discovery of life renewed and a deeper understanding of and connection to the greater realm of 'all that is'.”
"Lori and Brian have transformed their intense grief into a beautiful journey of hope. Their journey reveals an unconditional love for Maia and shows how they experience her love for them in a variety of ways which are ongoing in their lives. Their courage helps us to perceive death not as a finality but as another form of our loved one's life and
the joy which accompanies that life. It is an amazing story of hope, love, strength and transformation."
"The journey shared in this book was amazing... had not been in touch with Lori for many years and was saddened to hear of her daughters death.....I read the book and the hope and joy that flowed out of the pages through the hearts of Lori and Brian were amazing....it made me start doing acts of kindness particularly in memory of Maia and I also recommended the book to a friend who had just lost her daughter as well.....the spiritual journey told here continues to inspire me ......"
"Lori and Brian showed tremendous courage and love in writing this book. Learning to Dance in the Rain is a beautifully written book. By being so open in expressing their feelings and journey through such a tragedy, I am sure they have helped many people move through the loss of a loved one. Sometimes knowing someone else has done what they can to survive, and open to love again after going through such a painful life transformation, is all that a person in pain needs to keep going. Thank you all Lori, Brian, and Maia for courageously sharing your lives with us."
"This story illustrates the power of love. Maia's strong spirit and love is able to communicate to her family. Her family's
love for her and their open hearts, allowed them to see the signs of her presence. Our spirits are eternal and physical death takes us to another dimension. Lori and Brian have given us all a beautiful gift by sharing their journey with us."
"What Brian and Lori have experienced is every parent's nightmare. Just when you thought you had made it through all the trials of childhood and could relax, the unthinkable happens. Forging their own path, Lori and Brian share their journey of that first year pulling from all beliefs and traditions to create a unique journey. I have given this book as a gift to a new minister to help her in her work. Not only it is an inspiration to read, it is a book meant to be shared."
"Learning to Dance in the Rain' is a beautifully written memoir recalling the first year after Lori and Brian went through the unthinkable experience of losing a child. Rather than a story of death it is a perfect depiction of life after death. Maia, and all those who go before us, give us signs at the most opportune moments to remind us they are still here. It is written with hope, wit, and sensitivity-it would be a great read for anyone who has lost a loved one. Though we are all still learning to dance in the rain, I dance uncoordinated in the rain every chance I get for Maia."
"Losing a child is unimaginable. Learning to Dance in The Rain recasts the most horrific of horrifying events -–having your child die suddenly --into that which it can be … an opportunity to live each day to its fullest and reconnect with your child in a new way as s/he soars above you rather than walks with you through life.Thank you for reconfirming that which in my heart I knew to be the case… that my son will never leave me and is perhaps more present now than he might ever have been had he lived."
"Confucius said, 'By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the most bitter.' Lori and Brian have shared their bitter experience and the wisdom gained with us in this book. Now, by imitation, we are encouraged to follow their lead and live each day to its fullest, even when it's raining."
see the signs...thank you Brian and Lori for sharing your story to help so many.... "
“Learning to Dance in the Rain is a poignant glimpse into a family’s courageous journey to find healing and hope in the aftermath of tragedy. Their story is an inspiration to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. With sensitivity and humor, they share their discovery of life renewed and a deeper understanding of and connection to the greater realm of 'all that is'.”
"Lori and Brian have transformed their intense grief into a beautiful journey of hope. Their journey reveals an unconditional love for Maia and shows how they experience her love for them in a variety of ways which are ongoing in their lives. Their courage helps us to perceive death not as a finality but as another form of our loved one's life and
the joy which accompanies that life. It is an amazing story of hope, love, strength and transformation."
"The journey shared in this book was amazing... had not been in touch with Lori for many years and was saddened to hear of her daughters death.....I read the book and the hope and joy that flowed out of the pages through the hearts of Lori and Brian were amazing....it made me start doing acts of kindness particularly in memory of Maia and I also recommended the book to a friend who had just lost her daughter as well.....the spiritual journey told here continues to inspire me ......"
"Lori and Brian showed tremendous courage and love in writing this book. Learning to Dance in the Rain is a beautifully written book. By being so open in expressing their feelings and journey through such a tragedy, I am sure they have helped many people move through the loss of a loved one. Sometimes knowing someone else has done what they can to survive, and open to love again after going through such a painful life transformation, is all that a person in pain needs to keep going. Thank you all Lori, Brian, and Maia for courageously sharing your lives with us."
"This story illustrates the power of love. Maia's strong spirit and love is able to communicate to her family. Her family's
love for her and their open hearts, allowed them to see the signs of her presence. Our spirits are eternal and physical death takes us to another dimension. Lori and Brian have given us all a beautiful gift by sharing their journey with us."
"What Brian and Lori have experienced is every parent's nightmare. Just when you thought you had made it through all the trials of childhood and could relax, the unthinkable happens. Forging their own path, Lori and Brian share their journey of that first year pulling from all beliefs and traditions to create a unique journey. I have given this book as a gift to a new minister to help her in her work. Not only it is an inspiration to read, it is a book meant to be shared."
"Learning to Dance in the Rain' is a beautifully written memoir recalling the first year after Lori and Brian went through the unthinkable experience of losing a child. Rather than a story of death it is a perfect depiction of life after death. Maia, and all those who go before us, give us signs at the most opportune moments to remind us they are still here. It is written with hope, wit, and sensitivity-it would be a great read for anyone who has lost a loved one. Though we are all still learning to dance in the rain, I dance uncoordinated in the rain every chance I get for Maia."
"Losing a child is unimaginable. Learning to Dance in The Rain recasts the most horrific of horrifying events -–having your child die suddenly --into that which it can be … an opportunity to live each day to its fullest and reconnect with your child in a new way as s/he soars above you rather than walks with you through life.Thank you for reconfirming that which in my heart I knew to be the case… that my son will never leave me and is perhaps more present now than he might ever have been had he lived."
"Confucius said, 'By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the most bitter.' Lori and Brian have shared their bitter experience and the wisdom gained with us in this book. Now, by imitation, we are encouraged to follow their lead and live each day to its fullest, even when it's raining."
