A Father's Unraveling: When Tragedy Strikes, Will The Self You've Made Survive?

When events become too much to bear, what doesn’t work unravels; it could be our traditions, religions, even our assumptions about the foundations of life itself. That’s what happened to Mark Cosman when his daughter, Berlyn, was murdered on the night of her high school prom. Broken, he went in search of answers to the most profound questions we ask ourselves. Eleven years following Berlyn’s murder, Mark’s journey comes to the cross-roads of compassion and revenge when he confronts his daughter’s assassin. Then, on the heels of fascinating spiritual lessons learned in his travels to Egypt, Pakistan and China, Mark uses the “Tibetan Book of the Dead” as a guide in examining Berlyn’s dying experience. Finally, he addresses the agitated mind of those among us who harbor thoughts of hurting themselves or others. It’s a poignant letter to the desperate that offers the promise of refuge.