Review: The Perfect Finish
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 5, 2013
Reading the "Find You in the Dark" series was one of the most intense, heart-achingly perfect, and ultimately, satisfying things I have ever read. It was astonishing how Meredith Walters managed to write my life story never having met me. As I said in another review, I AM Clayton Reed. I have lived his life. Essentially every horrible decision he made, and every horrible action he made, I did when I was his age. The only difference between he and I was that I was blessed with parents that gave a damn. Had I had parents like his, I know my story would have ended a long time ago. The agony, the excruciating nightmare that is bipolar disorder, was described in such perfect detail by the author - well, all I can say, is that for someone who cried all his tears out during depression years ago, this made me cry every damned time Clay did something I did. It made me remember things I pushed into the background.Actually, that's a good thing. Part of recovering from this illness is not just confronting all the monumental f***-ups that we've made, it's remembering them. So anytime we think we're too good for our meds, or our therapy, or staying away from substances we shouldn't be near, we remember what life was like when we didn't stick to the rules of good mental health.This was the perfect wrap-up to the series - how Clay and Maggie held together in the years they were apart - and was so very important. It shows that even when we're stable on our meds, learning how not to hurt ourselves, learning to keep away from toxic people and stressful triggers, we need to build a life. We need to learn how to live a "normal", healthy life. We need to learn how to trust ourselves to make the right choices, we need to ditch all the self doubt and paralyzing fears, we need to not be so proud not to ask for help when we need it, and finally, we need to learn to believe that we're worthy of love. That is what the book shows, and I will always be grateful for Meredith Walters' ability to create a masterpiece that shows the world what people like us have to go through.I've heard the phrase "life may not lead you where you want, but it will lead you where you're meant to be." That is so true. This illness can kill dreams, but those who are strong will make new dreams. Clay and Maggie got their HEA, and my wife (my "Maggie") and I got ours.Another very wise man said "When you are going through hell, keep going." His name? Winston Churchill. Once upon a time, he helped save the world. He also had a mood disorder.:)We can all do anything if we believe in ourselves enough.