The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

A shelter-in-place-order was issued this week for San Francisco as well as Marin counties, which I toggle between a few times a week. I operate at a general level of high anxiety all the time, so this Covid-19 virus is like throwing gasoline on my fire-filled brain. am still going to work at my hospice, because as a health service, it was deemed an essential job. This is the good news because work for me is a great distraction when it feels like the world is coming to an end. I love my job so much, and the amazing people I work with. Being of service feels not only right but also purposeful. While this pandemic’s feeling of hopelessness seems new it also reminds me of September 11, 2001, when many of us had a similar feeling about the world ending. The parallel reminded me of this book: “The Light We Lost” by Jill Santopolo. This novel is a love story that begins on September 11, 2001, when Lucy meets Gabe for the first time. The timing is pivotal because it shows that even in the middle of a tragic event, or a shelter-in-place order, good things can grow. After meeting at Columbia University, Lucy and Gabe do a dance that typical people in their 20s do: Are we friends? Or should we take the next step and become more than friends? Lucy becomes a producer of children’s TV shows, and Gabe pursues his passion for photography. Gabe decides that his future as a combat photographer is more important than developing a relationship, and he leaves America. Heartbroken, Lucy becomes involved with another man, Darren. But rather than that being the end of Lucy and Gabe’s love story, it is only the beginning. “The Light We Lost” would make an excellent read for those taking shelter from the Coronavirus, or those just wanting to read a good old-fashioned love story. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.