Broken Open - by Barbara Mahany (Paperback)

About the Book

A former oncology nurse and journalist offers an intimate, unflinching exploration of the spiritual awakening she experienced in the wake of her cancer diagnosis, calling us to grasp the fleetingness of time and the sacred purpose of our being: to magnify the divine power of love in this world.

Book Synopsis

What if the moments that break us open could also awaken us to what matters most?

When life shatters our plans--through illness, loss, or sudden uncertainty--we often wonder how to keep moving forward. In Broken Open, award-winning journalist and former oncology nurse Barbara Mahany recounts the rare cancer diagnosis that reshaped her life and invited her to see the world differently. Through luminous storytelling and personal reflection, she explores

- how illness and loss can generate appreciation for the sacred gift of time;
- why wrestling with an uncertain future can deepen gratitude and compassion; and
- practices for living with intention, tenderness, and wholehearted love.

Perfect for readers navigating grief, illness, or disruption, Broken Open is a hopeful meditation on living with deeper faith and courage in the present moment.

About the Author

Barbara Mahany is an award-winning journalist and former staff writer for The Chicago Tribune, where she worked for nearly 30 years. A former pediatric oncology nurse at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, Mahany writes widely on spirituality, nature, and the human search for meaning. Her books include The Book of Nature and Slowing Time, which was selected as a Publishers Weekly Top Ten among religion books for fall 2014. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and On Being. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.