"You are not done and you are not broken. You can and will find a new direction." Strange Silence by Nicole Drumheller Gargus.This simple yet powerful sentiment both stern and compassionate is exactly what this compilation volume `Voices of Caregiving' is saying throughout its collection of stories. Each one of these tales has an inspirational message for its readers. Although The Healing Project, which is the organization which edited and published the book, may have primarily intended these stories for those who are overcoming the physical and mental suffering which accompany injury and illness, it is by no means off limits to anyone who needs an uplifting story of courage and kindness. Interspersed between the narratives is a factual essay explaining hospice and its role in the United States. The volume strikes a slightly academic balance between its factual articles and its realistic tales. Each writer who has been included in this compilation is writing from a place of utter sincerity and sometimes pain depending on the topic.
One story in particular which stands out is `The Reward' by Rosemary Banks. This brief narrative focuses on the frustration of a mother who is once again going through the endless routine of preparing her 8 year old autistic son, Diop, for school. The reader is able to feel the tension that exists between the mother's love for her son and her anger at God and the world for allowing her son to live with his condition. "Desperation washes over me like a hot flash. I think how much easier my life would have been without this fat young boy with curly black hair and dimples. My life wasn't supposed to be like this." By the end of the story the reader is privy to another sentiment which belies the first. The narrator speaks of her autistic son with pride as she walks her him to the front of the auditorium to thunderous applause as he accepts his award. This beautiful story told in very few snapshots gives us a glimpse of what life is like taking care of an autistic child, both the challenges and the triumphs.
Another tale in particular reveals the power of a wife's commitment to her husband who has lost all hope due to an injury sustained during a training exercise in the military. In this tense and dramatic story, a woman wakes to the disturbing sound of a pistol being loaded by her husband. In his despair, he has decided to end his suffering so that she may be free to find another man who has not been broken. However, her faithfulness and love allow her to calmly talk him out of his depression long enough to reconsider this tragic path and put his trust in her words of compassion and her tender embrace. Through this understanding, the woman realizes how strong she has been all along in their marriage and they both must continue to rely on one another for support. It is truly inspirational to see those bonds of love reaffirmed as both husband and wife are again committed to live for one another and with one another.
Regardless of which story you choose to read first, this book will not disappoint and may motivate you to reach out to those you love or even strangers with kindness. For it is the overall goal of The Healing Project to develop resources to enhance the quality of life for those with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. Simply by purchasing this book you are giving to their cause, yet by paying it forward you are furthering their cause.
