Lori Mcdermott

Learning to Dance in the Rain: a True Story About Life Beyond Death Lori Mcdermott

When a tragic car accident took the life of our twenty-one year old daughter, Maia, we began a journey that has been paradoxically the most heart-wrenching and spiritually uplifting period of our lives. Learning to Dance in the Rain chronicles the first year of this journey. Through pain and despair to renewed energy and spiritual discovery, we write about the many ways in which we are finding strength and inspiration to carry on our lives. With help from family and friends, a variety of religious and spiritual traditions, encounters with the natural world, and, most profoundly, continued connection with our beloved daughter, we are learning that death is as much a beginning as it is an end and that one person's smile can make a significant and positive difference in the world. This published version of Learning to Dance in the Rain is derived from an earlier manuscript distributed to family and friends prior to the first anniversary of Maia's death. The response was more positive than we had expected and we soon realized that sharing our experiences in this way was helping others, as well as ourselves, continue to heal and grow. Additionally, many people suggested that our story could benefit others beyond our small community and encouraged us to "share it with the world". After much deliberation and research, and an unshakeable belief that this is what Maia would want us to do, we took their advice. It is our greatest hope that the personal experiences we describe about our daughter and the path we are forging since her passing will help others find strength and inspiration to face whatever storms may come their way and live their lives with greater meaning and purpose.