This is a film about the conflict between nature and grace, the agonizing mystery of God, and the meaning of life itself. The death of his brother forces Jack O'Brien to confront his past, which is dominated by his difficult relationship with his father. Jack's father was a stern authoritarian whose no-nonsense demeanor masked a host of unfulfilled dreams. His mother was a gentle, kind woman who often allowed her own needs and desires to give way to those of her husband and children. As Jack's memories come flooding back--of the course of a Texas summer in the 1950s--viewers observe Jack's evolving relationship with his parents, his younger brother, and God, while adult Jack questions the meanings of life, love, and family.