What a beautiful, heartwarming, and compelling reason to always believe in LOVE!!!
The Earth is always in constant rotation, the seasons always change, the birds always fly, the air always moves and glides around us.What changes is how we process these emotions, how we see our lives, how we receive and accept the love we've given and received.
It's a question as old as the dawning of time- In fact, the song, "Will you still love me, tomorrow?....by the Shirrelles way back in '61, still rings true today.
Because, thankfully I grew up with a father that instilled "The Oldies" while driving during our road trips to Florida on vacation every year. I wasn't even born till over 10 years later yet, I this song came to mind after reading this beautifully moving work from the Great-Elizabeth Berg.
You see if you're empathetic like some of us -this world will make you hard.
However, the key is to hold your value close to your sleeve and not let the world make you hard.
Society is also constantly altering what's or is not allowable.
In this novel we have touched upon many of those society norms for the ages. Pregnancy, death, child abuse, parental neglect, and so much more.
Is it ok to have relationships with those much older then ourselves? When is age a factor in love?
Will there be a tomorrow if you can't get through the heartache and pain of today?
Never deny love even when facing the storm...because the tornado may be barreling upon you but the sun always shines in the morn.
These characters, this plot, the setting, the emotional appeal was off the charts.
I love the fact that we have varying degrees of soceital norms while processing so many important topics on every horizon.
The fact that you can become grounded through nature is apparent and a nice welcome from the hustle of daily living.
Surely, one must not lose sight of what's most important in each of our lives. In the end, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks so long as you're happy.
I fell in love with this story because as I type this we have a snowstorm on the way. Schools closed. The wind is whipping. The bitter cold is brutal. We look for the birds of spring to soon fly over us.
Yet, two of my three kids are in college with one in latter years of high school. My eldest son I thought would always be connected to the hip - until he found his own relationship with a lovely young lady. He's spent the past few months (winter break) with her and I couldn't be more proud of their relationship and each other.
As a parent our job is to raise our kids with the knowledge, love, support, and guidance we can give them. Mine are now adults making their own life choices and while scary it's also gratifying to witness from the outside looking inward.
As this story progressed I couldn't help to have flashbacks from my owns trials and tribulations as single parent in poverty from divorcing an abusive spouse. So much so that I always wondered if I did right by leaving and filing for support to begin the process of leaving for good.
Today, I believe I have that answer with the help of this book.
My son was born med disabled (vater syndrome) for life. My life was spent breathing life into him literally while lying on the floor to make sure he breathed every single night.
I wondered if he'd find someone to love him the way his own mother loved him,protected him, and valued his worth. He fought so hard to live, 2 months in NICU, years of medical complications to simply be present.
In closing, this one line in this book is how I'd like to leave this review: "If you have someone in your life like that, someone you know you will always want to tell everything to, you are awfully lucky, and a fool to ask for more."
Don't be that fool....open your heart and soul to the world around and soak it up like a sponge.
Life is short! Embarce it!
Thank you to Elizabeth Berg for the clarity, insight, voice of reason. Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
This new work of fiction is due out : March 21st 2023
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