If you could rewrite any book’s ending, which one would you choose?

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” — Socrates

Honestly, I wouldn’t rewrite a book just to give it a happy ending. Happy endings can be comforting, but not every story should end with happiness, closure, or peace. Life rarely does. Stories that embrace uncertainty, loss, or bittersweet endings often feel more honest because they reflect the human experience.

My father was a student of philosophy. When I was younger, many of the things he said didn’t make sense to me. Over time, I realized they were all connected, shaped by experience rather than abstract ideas. There are hundreds of books he collected over the years, filling shelves with history, philosophy, and literature. They are more than a collection to me now. They are reminders of his curiosity, his wisdom, and the conversations we never got to finish. His reading glasses are still there, along with his collection of Persol glasses, exactly where he left them. Sometimes they make it feel as though he has only stepped away for a moment.

My happiest chapter ended the day I said goodbye to him. God, how much he filled my life with love, laughter, and everything I could have ever wished for. Since then, I’ve understood that the longer we live, the more loved ones we lose. Grief is not the opposite of love. It is the price we pay for it.

The only ending we all truly share is death. Until then, life is full of unanswered questions, imperfect resolutions, and moments that can feel empty. That is what makes it real. I think books should capture that reality instead of pretending every journey ends with everything falling into place. The stories that stay with us are often the ones that remind us life is beautiful, painful, unpredictable, and unfinished.

~S