Books
Reflections on loss,
grief, and connection.
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Morning Leaves: Reflections on Loss, Grief, and Connection
Steeped in beautiful art and verse that invites reflection, Morning Leaves is the perfect gift book or self-purchase for those grieving the loss of a loved one.
In the wake of the untimely death of the author's younger sister and isolated by the pandemic, Rikkers produced Morning Leaves, a book of vulnerable, evocative, and ultimately hopeful poems. She introduces her story and explains how counseling, the artistic process, and nature helped her through the healing process.
Her poems, paired with Kelly Leahy Radding's stunningly realistic botanical paintings, metaphorically describe the range of emotions she passes through while grieving. Rikkers seizes the opportunity to be attentive to who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be, leaving space for the reader to do the same. Her writing is soulful, open, and accessible and the artwork is exquisite. Ultimately, readers are invited to reflect on themselves as they address the grief and loss they have experienced in their own lives. Many have found it to be an inspiration for daily reflection and meditation.
Praise for Morning Leaves
Even with just a small snippet, one can easily feel the generous and open spirit of Laing's writing and the thoughtful beauty of Kelly’s gossamer watercolors. Everything about Morning Leaves is calming, soothing, peaceful, and then engaging. This is truly beautiful and such a loving, soul-searching accomplishment. Laing has done the hard work. And now she has illuminated a road map, of sorts, for each new reader to find their own path forward towards healing and acceptance. She didn’t just live hers; she has now wrapped it as a gift for others.
Mel Yoakum Ph.D.
Curator and author of Francoise Gilot: Monograph 1940-2000
Praise for Morning Leaves
The poems within Morning Leaves are tender, compassionate and full of wonder. Laing's writing and Kelly's illustrations are conduits for healing and hope.
Kristin A. Meekhof, M.S.W.
Co-author of A Widow's Guide to Healing
Praise for Morning Leaves
In this lovely volume written through a season of grief, Laing Rikkers shows us how the natural world can guide, inspire, and sustain us through heartache and loss. Morning Leaves is a call to move our bodies, commune with creation, and breathe in fresh air. But most of all, Rikkers’ beautiful volume demonstrates how artistic endeavors can become healing balms.
Bonnie Smith Whitehouse
Author of Seasons of Wonder: Making the Ordinary Sacred Through Projects, Prayers, Reflections, and Rituals, Afoot and Lighthearted: A Journal for Mindful Walking, and Kickstart Creativity: 50 Prompted Cards to Spark Inspiration
Praise for Morning Leaves
With spare, lyrical verses, Rikkers brings us into commune with the earth, with all of life; connecting us with ourselves, with each other. What a gift to see and feel these relationships so palpably, to show how easily and perfectly it can all link up. A gift indeed!
Tucker Malarkey
Author of An Obvious Enchantment, Resurrection, and Stronghold
Praise for Morning Leaves
Just as Laing Rikkers truly sees nature and listens to its messages, so do her poems witness each of us—our own struggles to break through the cracks, to bud, and blossom—even to feel permission to wither and decay, only to bloom again. Morning Leaves is a gift to all who open their eyes to its images and their hearts to its whispers and exhortations.
Faith Salie
Emmy-winning contributor to CBS News Sunday Morning and author of Approval Junkie
Praise for Morning Leaves
Laing Rikkers’ first book is a wonderful example of the ways in which communion with the natural world can calm, restore and heal. Dedicated to her late sister Ginna, it makes a meaningful argument for the power of quiet observation in the midst of chaos and an appreciation for the beauty and wisdom which is all around.
Anna Holmes
Award-winning writer, editor at publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, and The New Yorker, and founder of the site Jezebel
Stories of Friends and Family Lost: From the Ones Who Love Them
Stories of Friends and Family Lost is a deeply moving anthology that gives voice to those left behind—parents, daughters, sons, siblings, and friends—who have experienced the profound pain of losing someone they loved. Through intimate, first-hand accounts, each chapter honors a life lost too soon and invites readers into a space of raw emotion, cherished memories, and the quiet strength found in the face of heartbreak.
This powerful collection weaves together personal stories that span generations, illuminating the complex realities of grief, the resilience of the human spirit, and the healing power of community. Whether mourning the loss of a child, parent, spouse, or friend, the contributors share their journeys with honesty and grace, offering comfort, validation, and hope to others who are navigating similar paths.
More than just a book of remembrance, Stories of Friends and Family Lost includes a valuable resource guide filled with grief counselors, support groups, hotlines, and tools to help readers find the support they need. Uplifting in its empathy and empowering in its message, this book reminds us that even in our deepest sorrow, we do not have to walk alone.
