Woke up Wednesday and was SICK. I figured it was probably STREP AGAIN, but wasn't positive. By Thursday I was POSTIVE it was STREP - we went to Instacare and yup, Strep. So yeah - Wednesday and Thursday I was totally out of it, Friday I still wasn't feeling quite up to par. Saturday I had to reclaim the house and Sunday was spent with family.
Therefore, I am going to start the truths right where I left off. Had I known how crazy the month of August would be for me - I would've held off on the truths until September. Oh well.
DAY 16 - A BOOK YOU'VE READ THAT CHANGED YOUR VIEWS ON SOMETHING
Years ago I could've skipped out on this one because I really didn't read very much. However, over the last few years that has changed tremendously. I feel odd when I don't have something to read, but I'm kinda picky about what I read as well. That's really besides the point. Now I've got at least 2 books that come to my mind quickly.
#1 - MOTHER HAD A SECRET by Tiffany Fletcher
Mental illness has always intriqued me. Not like I've got to see someone with a mental illness type thing, more of a 'WHY?' do these things happen to the brain curiousity. And you always think of "Oh, that poor soul. They are trapped inside their own head and world...", you rarely think of the families affected by this person.
This book is by a lady who grew up with a mom with split personalities. They learned to fend for themselves at a young age as Mom wasn't really 'there' and Dad was working hard to keep them afloat.
Tiffany is very open and honest with the feelings she had for her mother all those years. How she grew to resent her mother for putting her 6 (I think) children in such a place. She talks about how much she hated her mother at times. She talked about being scared to leave on an LDS mission because her mother threatened her not to go and she worried about the siblings she was leaving behind.
I loved that this was an honest account of feelings and that it is by an LDS author, who grew up a member all her life. And that they tried to show the word that they were a 'perfect' family when in all reality they were anything but!
This changed my views on just dealing with the affected person to actually looking at the family and how it affects their lives as well. I just can't imagine a life where my Mom wasn't able to care for me. It is so sad. It also changed my views on being so quiet about things that have made me upset in the past. Sometimes in order to heal - we need to air what's hurt us in some way!
#2 - SING YOU HOME - Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is my all-time favorite author. I was hooked on her writing with the 1st book I've read. She's written like 15 and I've read them all. I haven't liked the all the same, but I've liked them all.
The last one I read was an unexpected read - and probably my least favorite book by her. I didn't even pay attention to what the book was about - I just bought it and read it. And woah! Did I ever have a surprise in this book. I'll admit that there were a few times I wanted to put it down, but just couldn't.
This book actually talks about a Lesbian couple fighting for the rights of one of the partners frozen embryos. Yeah, kind of an odd subject.
HOWEVER, this book was very well written. Jodi put both sides of the argument in the book and never really shows favoritism one way or the other. There's the religious side of it all and then there's the side for the Lesbian/Gay communities and for their rights.
Because gay marriage is only legal in one state at this moment in time, this couple has to get married in a state they don't reside in, which means their home state DOES NOT recognize that they are married.
Now, I haven't changed my opinion that gay marriage is 'wrong', but I do see a need for the world to give these people EQUAL RIGHTS! Seriously. I know that I shouldn't necessarily side with 'Gay Marriage', but I do really feel these people should be allowed to love each other and be with each other and have all the rights that married people do.
I don't know, my eyes were just really opened with this book about how unfair the world treats Lesbian/Gay couples in the medical field and legally. Having two brothers that are 'gay', it breaks my heart to think about all that could happen medically/legally to them that could really break their strength. I guess when you have family members dealing with the whole same sex attraction thing - your view changes. I just think that there needs to be some change. That's all.
Enjoyed reading your posts on both books Shilo. Always on the look out for a good book =)I appreciate your honesty with them too..
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