“The Light of the World” by Elizabeth Alexander – Mourning the Dead; Celebrating the Living

The idea of death is one that is omnipresent and omnipotent, governing over the entirety of our world and sparing none from its eventual touch.

We try not to think about it and take it one day at a time, but the thoughts linger in the back of our minds, and we know the day will come when we must come face-to-face with the reaper, whether he is coming for or a loved one.

There aren't many people out there who have experienced love, loss and redemption the way Elizabeth Alexander did, an American writer, poet, and professor of African American Studies at Yale University.

In her book and memoir The Light of the World, Alexander conducts a review of the part of her life that changed her forever, the sudden passing of her beloved husband. Following the tragedy, she found herself at a sort of crossroads, having to choose between falling into self-abandonment or redirecting her focus to keep on living despite the tragedy.

Being the strong woman she is, Alexander decided to recount the tender love story which led to that day, reflecting along the way on the numerous aspects of life she has come to collect wisdom about.

Basically, it is a window into the mind of an exceptional person, one that was heavily shaped by both happiness and tragedy and has something to share with the rest of the world, perhaps in hopes of making it a slightly better place.

I have to admit I had certain doubts about this book before reading it, mainly about whether it would turn out to be a reflection on life or a very personal sort of eulogy and reflection, perhaps one the author never really intended for other people to read.

Thankfully in my opinion, it turned out to be the former. Alexander doesn't dwell more than one would expect on the tragedy itself... she does a fantastic job at putting us in her shoes and making us feel at least part of the grief she had gone through.

Of course, words may never be able to accurately express what one goes through during such a moment, but she does bring us as close as possible to her sorrow.

The part that made a place for itself in my memory however, is the one that follows the passing, the one where Alexander meditates on how she managed to survive internally and keep on not only living, but also thriving as a person.

She places her focus on the many aspects of life she believes keep us going, discussing the importance of family, friends, human companionship, love in all its forms, art, culture, and basically, the countless wonders the world ceaselessly throws our way.

Ultimately, this book can be seen as a bit of a guide on mourning the dead and then finding the courage to celebrate the living, and keep on forging through whatever awaits us.

Ultimately, The Light of the World is a powerful meditation love and loss, about the resilience of the human spirit in the face of all adversities.

I'd go as far as saying that this book should be read by those who know what it is like to have loved and lost and seek what really matters in this life.

And even if you aren't, thankfully, going through something of the sort, the book could still prove a very interesting read with plenty of food for thought.

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Elizabeth Alexander Personal site Elizabeth Alexander is an American Professor of African American Studies at Yale University, an essayist, playwright, and poet whose many works were published in highly-respected journals and periodicals. She is also the author of two memoirs, The Light of the World and Lottery Tickets.