Louisa is weighed down by shame and guilt over choices from her past. How much of this guilt is appropriate conviction, and how much is misplaced? By the end of the story, how has Louisa learned to work through this shame and guilt? What could that process look like in your own life?
When Cody is assigned to the Nantucket Coast Guard station, he must return to a place that holds painful memories. How does he respond? Have you ever been forced to go somewhere that was difficult for you to face? What was that experience like?
In a memory from Louisa’s childhood, a thunderstorm catches Daniel Boggs off guard as he’s grilling outside. As the rain pours down, he tells Louisa, “That’s God making everything new. No matter what, he can always make things new.” In this story, how do Louisa and Cody see God giving them second chances and making old things new? How have you seen this in your own life?
Cody keeps track of the people he failed to save by adding hash marks to his tattoo. What danger is there in having a tangible reminder like that always in front of you? What benefits are there to remembering the past—and learning from it?
Throughout the story, several characters struggle to forgive themselves and others. How does this struggle play out in the experiences of Cody, Louisa, Marissa, Warren, and JoEllen? Think of a time you had to work hard to forgive yourself or someone else. How did that process impact you?
One of the main reasons Louisa and Eric’s relationship ended was because he didn’t believe in her. Why was that a deal breaker for Louisa? What factors are most important to you in a healthy relationship?
Manny Wirth has a difficult time knowing how to relate to God after the accident that put his son, Jackson, in a coma. He writes, “Believing it was human error and not something God allowed to happen to our son is easier. Because if God simply turned his face in Jackson’s hour of need, where does that leave us?” How can you maintain your faith in God when you or someone you love is suffering? Where have you seen God at work in the difficult circumstances of your life, even if you don’t understand them?
Why does Louisa fight so hard to bring her family and Cody’s back together? What does she hope that will accomplish, and what is the outcome of her efforts?
What is Maggie’s role in Louisa’s and Cody’s lives? How does she influence them and their families to move forward in spite of tragedy and past hurts? Do you have an older mentor like this in your life—or could you pursue this kind of relationship with someone younger than you?
Toward the end of the story, Cody “was starting to learn that even though he might have a right to be angry, he had a choice not to give in to that feeling.” What brings him to this place of growth and maturity? Can you think of a time when you chose to do what was right even though you didn’t feel like it?
Louisa decided to take a risk after working at a hotel for several years—she started her own business, The Good Life. If you could start a business of any kind, what would it be? Why?
At the end of the story, the rift between the Boggs and Chambers family isn’t completely mended, but things are heading in the right direction. What do you imagine the future years will hold for these two families and their relationship?