Pack Up the Moon

Pack Up the Moon follows the intertwined journeys of Josh and Lauren as they grapple with grief, loss, and love. Through their experiences, the novel underscores the profound impact of human connections in helping individuals cope with life’s most challenging moments. In the novel, interpersonal connections facilitate healing, growth, and resilience in the face of tragedy.

Lauren’s relationship with Josh is central to her ability to cope with her illness. Her unwavering love and connection with her husband allow Lauren to face her impending death with grace and courage. Josh’s presence at her side during her final moments provides a sense of comfort and reassurance that allows Lauren to accept her fate before disappearing into the light. Her connection with Josh transcends death, as she continues to communicate with him through letters and signs from the Great Beyond, which Gertie the medium helps Josh see; these means allow Lauren to guide Josh toward healing through their eternal love—another thematic focus of the novel. 

On his grief-stricken journey, Josh’s interactions with Lauren (through letters, memories, and dreams), Sarah, Radley, and family help him navigate the complexities of grief. Lauren strives to teach Josh the healing power of human connection in her tasks, like hosting a dinner party—“[L]et them come into our home and be part of your life, honey. Don’t shut them out” (61)—recognizing that Josh’s natural preference for solitude would cause more pain as he grieves. Josh’s daydreams and dreams about Lauren illustrate the power of the mind to create connections that transcend reality; they also provide moments of connection and solace, allowing Josh to hold on to the memory of his wife. When his daydreams turn torturous later in the novel, Josh relies on Ben, his stand-in father and mother’s best friend, for comfort during moments of despair. Lauren wisely positions Sarah as a friend of importance in Josh’s future by tasking her with delivering her monthly letters after her passing; this ensures repeated interaction and adds depth to their relationship, which features fights over little frustrations with one another and shared meals that allow them to grieve—and laugh—together. Radley, a compassionate therapist-in-training whom Josh meets while executing one of Lauren’s tasks, offers another support system that helps him articulate his feelings and move forward in life. 

By the end of the novel, Josh yearns for deeper human connections rather than solitude. In Chapter 32, when Josh leans into an opportunity to make new professional relationships without prompting from Lauren, he is showing that he’s internalized the desire to reach out to others. He also embraces Jen as his “sister” rather than sister-in-law, imagines having a daughter, and asks Rose on a date. This shows that he appreciates the lessons Lauren strove to teach him through her letters: Connection heals while also leading to personal growth and love.