Monday, February 15, 2021

Book Review: "Olive" By Emma Gannon



This one took a few days for completion but the time to discuss this audio has arrived and it's quite the annoyance for several reasons.

I personally have several friends who couldn't for various reasons have children of their own and we're all in our mid to late forties and either divorced, married, dating, engaged, or with significant others and yes, happily single. We stem from a variety of diverse groups, social circles, and economically vast differences yet, it's a choice we all must make or have bestowed upon us for health reasons as some of my former friends were simply unable to carry or conceive full term.

I can't imagine ever going to these ladies and showcasing a world in which having kids is somehow a better option than not having them. As adoption, in vitro fertilization, or puppy parenting are all fab choices too.

This novel was so concentrated and centered within Olive's spectrum of ideals that there's truly little room for growth and or development.

As women we have the right to choose much like Olive had the right to choose her friends. We have a right to our own bodies and to determine how we would like to carry out our legacies.

I think the overall premise of this book was about finding acceptance amongst your peers but it wasn't so much about being accepted and being happy forging your own path.
In the end, the book discusses Olive and Marcus and their happy new home with his grown daughters having found their niche in life. It further discusses the other three girlfriends who all had been a part of Olive's life since childhood and the back and forth tug and pull of these friendships for better or worse.

For me, it showcased all the wrong things within these two thoughts of procreating with a partner or going without a child and finding other means to self contentment and lasting legacies.

In fact, I had one very successful Nascar media representative for Jimmy Johnson's crew. She lived a life I could only dream. Everyday she's flying out, entertaining, and living the high life with the stars and celebrities. I must say I was a bit envious because I worked hard to enter the same arena and the door slammed shut as a volunteer with Pocono Raceway.

One day we started chatting about these differences and she opened my eyes to the fact she couldn't have kids with her new husband whom she was madly and deeply in love. Instead, she became a dog momma as they call them today and created a side business selling candles to earn her keep with her spouse while residing in beautiful North Carolina.
To this day, we don't hardly speak yet I follow her online and she follows me (or so I'd like to hope) but our lives took us in two different trajectories and that too is ok.

She always told me she wishes she could have kids and stay home and do the things I'm fortunate enough to do.
Ergo, the moral of the story- count your blessings, be grateful, and if you're not happy make the change. You're not a tree and you can be uprooted and transplanted while branching out in all directions.

Go where you are accepted, welcomed, and appreciated not just tolerated.

Never lose sight of your voice, your talents, and your dreams.

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