Review: she still doesn't get it
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 04 7, 2013
I was hoping this would be a book about how the author overcame a series of personal disasters with some fortitude, and a sense of humor.  I was disappointed, because the humor wasn't really funny, but more of an angry sarcatic whine.The author will read this, take it personally and I'm sorry for that. I believe she will never be happy until she takes responsibility for her own emotions and needs.  She has had some bad experiences, and while I'm sorry about her bad experiences, I'm not that sympathetic to her story.  She's trying to hone in on the major divisive tale in America. "Bad stuff happened to me, I wasn't prepared, and it's other people's fault, please help me because I need it now"v. "I worked hard and was responsible, bad stuff happened to other people, why is it my job to help you now?"  But a better economy wouldn't prevent the palpable negativity.  Yes, she had cancer.  Yes, it really really sucks.  It's not a free ticket to shame others into "helping" you. The  It sucks to lose your job and house. A lot of people have, many of whom did not have nearly the kind of income she did.  Why on Earth would one stay in a hotel, eat in restaurants, keep so many dogs and a horse if destitute? Motel 6's are actually pretty decent. These are not reasons to give up your child, or allow an older teen to move in with her.  I may be frustrated with my kids at times, but I cannot fathom treating my daughter that way, much less publishing a book about how awful it was to raise her, and how the author kept dismissing her claiming of sexual abuse.  !!  I'm not sure why I finished the book.  I suppose part of me must have enjoyed getting so irritated every night, then returning to my own life full of non-needy people.A surprising number of us suffer disasters and survive, and rebuild our lives, and I imagine that if the author had stopped and thought less about all the things she needed, and paid attention to the things she had, she would have been surprised by the many small kindnesses around her.  Even at the darkest of times, making an effort to do a single nice thing for another can bring a surprising amount of brightness to your life.Things in life do not 'happen' to you.  You are always a participant, and either bore responsibility in some way for getting into that situation, or you are responsible for your actions and reactions.  You can either err on the side of taking full responsibility for your life, or you can be a passive victim to everything.  Which one feels better?