Comfort & Joy

Bobby, Joy, and Stacey begin the story dealing with emotional pain. Ten years after they lost their mother, Joy and Stacey lost each other in the aftermath of Stacey and Thom’s affair. A few months prior, Bobby lost his mom in a car accident. At age eight, he is now mourning his mother and reconnecting with his father, who has not been in his life since he was four. All of them have monumental grief and resentment to face, and they learn to process their pain through love.

The three characters begin the story isolated from each other, but through love and connection, they are able to find forgiveness and happiness. Joy touches on the closeness of pain and love after she notices Daniel is jealous of her relationship with Bobby: “I know a thing or two about jealousy, how it can cut you to the bone and bring out the worst in you. I also know that it is grounded in love” (66-67). In her advice to Bobby, Joy communicates that Daniel’s pain is both grounded and love and can be soothed by love. Through communication, Daniel and Bobby can reconnect. Through their love for each other, Daniel’s despair and Bobby’s resentment will subside. This interaction illustrates how love and pain are intricately linked. Daniel’s jealousy stems not from malice but from his deep yearning to reconnect with Bobby. By reframing jealousy as a reflection of love, Joy highlights the importance of empathy and communication in healing relationships. The story suggests that understanding the roots of pain can transform it into an opportunity for connection.

Stacey and Joy spend a year not speaking to each other, but Joy remarks, “When the plane was going down, it was Stacey whom I thought about. That’s what I need to always remember now” (172-73). In this life-threatening moment, Joy’s anger and resentment fades to nothing in comparison to her love for her sister. When it flares up later in the hospital, she reminds herself of this moment and commits to loving her sister despite the hurt she has caused. This pivotal moment emphasizes the enduring power of familial love. While betrayal created a rift between Stacey and Joy, the near-death experience underscores the fragility of life and the need to prioritize love over lingering anger. Joy’s ability to move past her resentment reflects the novel’s message that forgiveness is an act of love, essential for personal and relational healing.

Joy’s newfound pain over losing Daniel and Bobby also lets her reconnect with Stacey: “Only Stacey lets me talk about Bobby and Daniel as if they’re real, and that—the simple act of her silent acceptance—somehow draws us together again” (178). As Joy processes her newfound pain of not only losing Daniel and Bobby but also belief in her own mental state, Stacey supports her. She is not only there, but she believes her when no one else does. Twice in the novel—in the rainforest and in Bakersfield—Joy finds love as she processes her pain. Stacey’s unwavering support for Joy demonstrates how love creates a safe space for vulnerability and validation. By believing Joy’s experiences, Stacey becomes a lifeline in her journey of self-doubt and grief. This act of faith bridges the emotional distance between the sisters and reaffirms their bond. The novel presents love as a force that not only heals wounds but also redefines relationships, allowing them to grow stronger through shared pain.

In Comfort & Joy, love emerges not as a passive sentiment but as an active choice—one that requires communication, forgiveness, and faith. By choosing love in the face of pain, the characters not only find personal solace but also create deeper, more meaningful connections with one another.