The Choice

Dr. Edith Eva Eger’s memoir, The Choice: Embrace the Possible co-written by Esmé Schwall Weigand, is a compelling and inspiring memoir of an Auschwitz survivor who became a clinical psychologist dedicated to helping people convert trauma, grief, and fear into hope and resilience. “Our painful experiences aren’t a liability-they’re a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and our strength.” Call it serendipity that Esmé contacted Green Grove, looking for community, just as CoVid-19 began taking hold. Linda, our resident librarian, found her book to be a compelling page-turner that resonates profoundly with what many are experiencing right now. For some, the pandemic has thus far been a frightening inconvenience, for others, already a time of devastating trauma and loss. Not one of us knows what comes next. There is no value in comparing degrees of trauma, but all of us have the potential to use what we’ve been handed to foster growth.