内容简介：
Casima Bradley, a gentle-natured, young woman, meets and marries Samuel Balcomb, a well-to-do man in his early forties, who feels that he is getting old. Casima helps him realize that he still has a lot of living left to do, and they share some very happy years together, until Sam suddenly dies of a heart condition. Casima must shoulder the burden of raising their four children alone and assume the responsibility of managing Samas affairs, which are quite complex. She suffers many hardships, including the death of her youngest child, her parents, and a very close friend. Though saddened by these losses, she becomes increasingly stronger and faces the world with the attitude that living is a mixture of joy and sorrow, and that it is impossible to have one without the other. In her later years, Casima finds love once more with Brian Atman, with whom she spends several happy years.