Grief and the Journey of Books That Travel

Grief is a strange companion. It comes quietly at times, in moments of solitude, and at other times, it crashes over you like a wave. When I lost my best friend Laura, I felt both the quiet and the storm. The emptiness she left behind was overwhelming, yet in that void, I found a way to keep her memory alive through a project we now call Books That Travel the World.

This initiative was born not just from a love of reading, but also as a way to channel the grief of losing someone so integral to my life. Laura and I shared almost 40 years of friendship—decades of memories, laughter, and stories. We share the love of books and one of our favorites was A Gentleman in Moscow. This past Spring, we dove into the miniseries on Prime, relishing in the details and characters. These shared moments, even during her battle with ovarian cancer, became a source of comfort for both of us. When she passed, I it felt like those stories deserved to keep traveling, just like Laura's spirit.

Books as Companions in Grief

There’s something healing about books, especially when you're grieving. They offer both an escape and a way to process feelings that are too hard to face directly. After Laura passed, reading helped me feel connected to her in ways that words couldn’t. Her favorite books became my companions, reminders of the conversations we had, the adventures we dreamed about, and the worlds we shared.

Books That Travel the World grew from that connection. By sharing these books, I’m not just passing along a good read—I’m sharing a piece of Laura, of our friendship, and of the love she had for stories.

The Act of Letting Go

Grief is about learning to let go, but it’s also about holding on to the things that matter. By leaving books in public places for others to find, I’m learning to let go in a way that feels meaningful. Each book is a small part of Laura’s legacy, a continuation of the life she lived and the places she never got to see.

I think that’s what makes this project so powerful. It’s not just about where the books go, but who they touch along the way. Each person who picks up one of these traveling books is, in a sense, part of this journey with Laura and me. They’re taking a story and continuing its travels, perhaps even finding comfort in it just as I have.

A Journey That Never Ends

Grief doesn’t have a clear beginning or end. It lingers, weaving itself into your life in unexpected ways. But in this project, I’ve found a way to turn that grief into something hopeful. Laura may not be here, but her love of books continues to travel, connecting with others and leaving its mark on the world.

If you’ve ever found one of our traveling books, I hope it brought you some comfort, joy, or a moment of reflection. And if you ever need a reminder that even in loss, there’s room for connection, I invite you to join this journey with us. Take a book, leave a book, and let stories travel just as love and memories do.