I used the image of Paul Simon's "Dangling Conversation". This expresses the way we so often fail to meet each other or God. Clare, by her openness, came to know God and in her spiritual friendship brought others into that space where they could find God and themselves. A new conversation was opened up between God and the broken.

A mother whose child was abused asked me to write this book so that people like her son would feel there are people who care.

Andy Ripley was a dear friend of mine. He suggested to me that I write a book that one could meditate on, just taking a little bit or as much as one wanted. Andy had cancer at this time and he suggested such a book would be helpful to him and others. He meditated during his treatment on one of my other books. He suggested I write a book in this form for others who would feel the need of love and consolation.

Jacqueline Corkish, who suffers much from mental affliction, said she found Therese an inspiring character. She asked me to write on Therese and explain something of her Little Way. This is how the book came about.

I visited the shrine of Our Lady of Syracuse in Sicily. It showed Mary’s compassion for the poor and the ill. I had friends who were suffering and I wrote the book for them so they would not feel alone. One of my friends was Eileen Dallaglio, who lost a daughter tragically. She found the book a great consolation. Tragically, she had cancer at the time and she passed away later in that year.