Saturday, September 21, 2013

"Reaching, a memoir" by Grace Peterson


At some point in our life, we each encounter trials and tribulation, and each person responds in his or her own way.  Many are left to deal with it, and when that is the case, we use what we know, and more often than not, we revert to our old behavior. Anthony Robbins pretty well sums it up: "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten".

As I read Grace Peterson’s book Reaching, a memoir, several words immediately came to mind: courage and strength_ to tell the world.

So many who have been abused have a difficult time going it alone, some never come away being whole again, dig deeper into the abyss and never fully cope. There are those who remain too ashamed to say, while others fortunately recognize the need and seek counsel and guidance. The journal Grace kept and the steady factor of her loving husband were truly blessings, and her strength and will were indeed a saving grace as finally Brock couldn’t take her beyond reality. At her core she always had a sense of right or wrong direction.

Beautifully written prose had me rereading certain passages as she painted a picture: “… Stoned or sober, life is a trek through a pitch black room, stumbling over injustices, maneuvering blindly around bullies and blunders, dusting off the pain, licking the wounds, picking the scabs, remembering where the trouble spots are… “.

Those going through difficult times might learn from Grace’s experience and ultimately seek professional guidance to help work through those wounds. It takes time to heal the pain and suffering, and no one can tell you what, when or how to do that, and only you know the time to make a change.

You can find Grace's book on Amazon and here is her garden blog Gracepete.blogspot.com.