Epic Russian Tale

 Thank you Debbie for hosting our gathering.  It was a pleasant way to spend what turned out to be an extremely smoky evening due to wildfires along the Canadian border.  We did miss Esther this evening.  We enjoyed sharing friendship and conversation during dinner and a good book discussion too.  

Author Kristin Hannah writes novels which focus on women; their strengths and their relationships.  This story unfolds as a Russian fairy tale which hides details of the mother's past.  It unwinds the relationships between a contemporary mother and her daughters and focuses on the cost of survival and the triumph of human spirit.  The character's perspectives changed as the story pregressed.  "It was all out there - the mystery, the beauty; beyond her ability to see now, but there just the same.  It was simply a matter of timing and perspective, what one saw."

Judy Bell's favorite shared quote:  "Meredith felt a kind of sadness.  It wasn't what she'd felt before: not disappointment that her kids didn't call or fear that Jeff didn't love her, or even worry that she had lost too much of herself.  This new feeling was the realization that she wasn't young anymore.  The days of frolicking with her little girls were gone.  Her children were on their own now, and Meredith needed to accept that.  They would always be a family, but if she'd learned anything in the past few weeks it was that a family wasn't a static thing.  There were always changes going on.  Like with continents, sometimes the changes were invisible and underground, and sometimes they were explosive and deadly.  The trick was keeping your balance."

The lesson of the story: "Joy and sadness were part of the package; the trick, perhaps, was to let yourself feel all of it, but to hold on to the joy just a little more tightly because you never knew when a strong heart could just give out."

Chris M is planning our next gathering which will be in November.  We will select a date later in October.  At the moment it may be a high tea held at Columbia Breaks.  Stay tuned for updates and details.  See you all then!