Saying Goodbye

Most of my childhood memories are filled to overflowing with times spent with my enormous family. I only have one brother and one sister, but I have more than a few aunts and uncles and ten times as many cousins. Believe it or not, we all interacted and enriched each others lives as if we were all in one small household. Every holiday celebrated together at my Mamaw&Papaw's house. Countless sleep-overs camping out, making blanket forts in the living room, playing sports, Christmas mornings opening presents together, Christmas mornings at 4am drawing straws to see who would be chosen to "wake a grown-up", playing "Pink Ladies & T-Birds", building secret clubhouses out of cardboard, hiking as top-secret explorers in the woods, and so many more things I don't have room to list.

 My Aunts and Uncles were really secondary parents and my cousins were really just more brothers and sisters. No matter how much time has passed or how little we get to talk or visit now as adults, I still love them all just as much. They know me because they were all a part of making me who I am today.

 It doesn't matter how much time goes by because our hearts stay the same. Whenever we are together, our love for one another shines bright. We share in each other's joys and pain and are always there no matter how large and scary the world might become. We don't expect more from each other than each is capable to give. We just love each other. It's always been that way in my family. Even with tempers flaring occasionally and trust me everyone in my family can list the "hot-tempered" ones, the love is still there.

 I miss those days of carefree laughter with my best friends aka cousins...aka my brothers and sisters. My heart hurts more than I can bear to know there is one less of us. I've never been one to over-share and I'm not a fan of a lot of attention. I usually keep silent on the difficult things I go through. I just wanted to remind you all to love your families with all you've got for as long as you're able. It will be the most important and rewarding thing you will ever do. It has been and continues to be for me.

TBR Pile GEMS

 

Many of us have extensive To Be Read piles of books and for many of us the pile keeps growing without ever diminishing. For me the book trilogy Divergent by Veronica Roth has been in my list for as long as it's been around. I've always found the story premise intriguing and let's face it...any YA dystopian plot is going in my pile regardless. Having been busy with life and my own projects, I had nearly forgotten about buying and loading this series onto my kindle. It wasn't until I watched the trailer for the movie that it sparked my memory and I felt the need to read it immediately. I'm what you call a moody reader. I may find a particular book interesting and want to read it, but I won't read it regardless of any other information....author....plot...theme etc, until I feel ready to do so.

This series is different from any previous YA dystopia's in that the factions that are now in control of society are segregated by natural personality impulse. These virtues or instincts are how you are separated. At the age of 16 you are given an aptitude test neurologically. In this "mind game scenario" your choices determine what your natural instincts are. Everyone must fit into one of these factions. If you do not...faction-less (homeless)...if you fit more than one or all equally?? You are DIVERGENT. You are a threat.  

 

It is no wonder they wanted to make a movie about this book and possibly the other two in the trilogy. It is unique and it delves into what we all really want: to belong and to be accepted for who we are. I loved the book and look forward to watching the movie. I'm currently reading the second in the trilogy and will let you know how that goes!

To purchase this book: Barnes and Noble Book Store or Amazon Books