A man who has conquered everything that most people simply dream of – businesses, real estate, wealth – is confronted with cancer. In the hospital, he takes stock of his life. Professional successes are followed by failures in personal relationships, primarily with his son.

In the same hospital, a five-year-old girl is being treated, spending her time painting, as if this will help her overcome the illness. She understands, of course, that this is impossible, but she continues to do so to give courage to the adults.

On Christmas Eve, the man realizes that he can overturn the predetermined fate of the little girl and decides to do everything in his power to save her. To achieve this, he must first learn if his own life truly held any value; his son is the only one who can provide the answer.

With this tender story, Backman reminds us that life is an unexpected gift; what we leave behind depends on how we shared our lives with those we loved.