Written after his wife’s tragic death as a way of surviving the “mad midnight moment,” A Grief Observed is C.S. Lewis’s honest reflection on the fundamental issues of life, death, and faith in the midst of loss. This work contains his concise, genuine reflections on that period: “Nothing will shake a man — or at any rate a man like me — out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover it himself.” This is a beautiful and unflinchingly honest record of how even a stalwart believer can lose all sense of meaning in the universe, and how he can gradually regain his bearings.

Why We Love This Gift: We love this gift because it is an honest exploration of grief written from the perspective of a preeminent male writer. It explores and conveys universal truths about what it means to live, to love, to mourn. (Patton Oswalt recently described this book as helpful to him following the sudden death of his wife earlier in 2016).

What To Express In Your Card: I am heartbroken for you. I am thinking of you constantly and I am sending you all the support I can offer. Ask me anything.

Give InKind is pleased to feature With You Lockets this holiday season. Give InKind staff was drawn to the With You line because the seed of the company’s very founding grew from love.  Since its inception, With You has evolved into a unique, diverse, and high-quality line of heirloom jewelry. With You combines artistry with quality – even still being mindful of different budgets. With You designers drew their original inspiration from vintage lockets – and then added a dash of the modern. The result is a collection of lockets that capture all the fine details and workmanship of a family heirloom in contemporary shapes and sizes.

Good at over 25,000 locations nationwide, recipients can use their Spafinder gift card for a massage or facial, yoga or pilates classes, acupuncture or chiropractic, or over 25 total services. Encourage your loved one to take a break for themselves with a wellness gift card they can use anytime. Available in any denomination between $25 – $500.

Why We Love This Gift: To be frank, self-care is often the first casualty of any crisis. When people are incurring unexpected costs at an alarming rate, the first thing to go are the “luxuries.” However, those who face highly stressful situations with long/uncertain outcome are precisely those who should practice aggressive self-care. They won’t do it for themselves. You do it for them. Pamper them. Let them know you want them to take a break and that their well-being is a priority.

What to Express in Your Card: You have so much on your plate right now, it is hard to know how best to help. I wanted to start with you. I am so sorry for your loss. I am thinking so much of you and of [name of deceased.] There is no one I know more in need of a massage/facial/yoga class. I know you won’t do it for yourself – so I wanted to do it for you. I am sending you love.

From one of America’s iconic writers, a stunning book of electric honesty and passion. Joan Didion explores an intensely personal yet universal experience: a portrait of a marriage – and a life, in good times and bad – that will speak to anyone who has ever loved anyone.

This is a seminal book about the power of grief – making it a top choice of the editorial staff at Give InKind.

Why We Love This Gift: We love this book because in clear and intelligent prose, Didion gives language to the experience of grieving. Accessible and thought-provoking it is a book to which almost anyone can relate.

What To Express In Your Card: I can’t begin to imagine the pain you are in. I think that Joan Didion writes eloquently about the sudden death of her husband. This may or may not resonate with you – I understand the everyone’s experience of grief is different – but I thought this might be a good place to start. I wonder if we could meet for a drink to talk it over. I am sending you lots of love.