You Are So Beautiful Without Your Hair: A Daughter's Journey with the Death of Her Parents

This is a book about life, about love, about trust. One of the key points for me is when Suzane Piela's mother, a farmer's wife whose husband has recently passed away and who is now herself diagnosed with cancer, asks her daughter to come home. She asks Suzane to come home, not merely to care for her, but so that she may learn more about her daughter's spirituality, a spirituality that seems so very different from her own midwest teaches, a spirituality that sustains and nourishes her daughter, a spirituality that seems to appeal to her for some reason. How many mothers, afterall, have asked their daughters to teach them about life and God? Edna Piela, as well as her husband John, are obviously strong, good people. The experience of Suzane and her ill parents begins a healing and new birth for them all. The experience of Suzane and her mother, both as individuals and together as family, is beautiful even in their moments of frustration as they evolve to new understandings about "the beauty of life through the mystery of dying." The book is touching, humorous, inspiring, and instructive. And, in more ways than one, readers are also treated to the wonders of the everlasting nature of life as the author, family, and friends enjoy fond greetings from those whom they've loved but obviously not lost.

Ms. Piela's book is filled with compassion, sincerity, warmth and lessons to be learned for the living and dying. A must to add to your reading list.

Many of us have experienced caregiving and the death of loved ones. Ms Piela takes us on this path again through her account of caring for both terminally ill parents. She gives us insights and understanding that are comforting and yet realistic. The book held my interest. I eventually felt that I was almost a member of the author's family. I cared what happened to them.

This is a wonderful story about a woman's efforts to bring comfort, understanding and love to her mother and father as they both cope with cancer and dying. Although potential readers might perceive the subject to be depressing, this book is not a downer, but rather a compansionate look at how to create a sacred and fulfilling event for both parents and children as they face living with a life threating disease. I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in spiritual growth and self discovery.

One of the sentences that touched me deeply, and believe me there are many, was that "we cradle babies into life, why not be cradled out of life." Said by Suzane Piela, the author, as she goes back to her family farm to take care of her mother, ill with cancer. I highly recommend this book, as it is full of compassion, love, wisdom and is also a wonderful read. There is so much more to understand about life and thanks to this book, we do.