Mary's Prayer, Mary McGuinness' first book, charted her journey to health through a lengthy period of illness from depression. She told how she was healed by the power of prayer and through her love of music; she possessed an inner drive and commitment to improve her life in the long term. The Meaning of Contentment, a sequel to the first book, covers a period of almost six years. In total, the two volumes chronicle almost twenty years of her life, charting the gradual changes taking place during two decades on the journey to middle age. This second book reflects on these natural changes and also on the personal transformation that occurred because of the varied perspectives of McGuinness' experiences. This memoir shares the story of how a meeting with her Uncle John changed the course of her life. The Meaning of Contentment tells how she strengthened both her identity and the familial bond while helping him. It focuses on the friendship and the interactive learning experience that dramatically impacted on her future.