Book Review of The Blessing of Movement

Book Blurb:

Sandra. Fearless, headstrong, and dominant, her personality sets the stage for a family dynamic that will affect all members for the rest of their lives, the youngest sister most of all. The complex relationship between these two sisters spans over forty years of events and results in a final act of redemption, restoration, and forgiveness. The story demonstrates how one can flourish despite circumstances and motivates the reader to live their best life every day. It is a story of family, growth, and the overwhelmingly powerful impact of unconditional love.

Read more about the book at Online Book Club

My thoughts

Life can be daunting at times and these tough times will change the way you look at life. It can shatter you into pieces and at the same time can help you in learning the lessons of life.

The author has detailed various aspects of life in an enchanting way that only a few can do justice to. And the way she has portrayed the circumstances at hand is heart wrenching and inspiring at the same time. There are moments in the story that will make you feel bad and sick. You will be left with the thought,

“Why God do you make it so difficult?”

The story begins with the author's sister Sandra smile, on a wheel chair, which is worth a thousand dollars. The story describes the lifestyle of the author's family and mostly revolves around the protagonist of the Sandra and how her behavior impacts people around her. The life of Sandra is the inspiration behind the book.

Deborah and her family were black and lived in a period of racial discrimination but were mostly able to live a happy life. The author describes how her elder sisters were jealous of her when she was born and had the feeling that the love of parents may diminish with the addition of new member of the family.

As you flip through the pages you will face the hard reality of the protagonist who is paralyzed in her mid twenties after she was shot by a bullet. Though she survived the bullet but the saddening truth was that she had to be bed ridden throughout her life. The author describes every part of their lives in detail and how things have happened in the due course of life.

There were circumstances in the story where I could feel that I can no longer read the tough times, the author was facing. Sandra was quadriplegic, which means she had no control on both hands and legs.

Had this not been enough she was facing charges for burglary and for stealing a credit card she did before her paralysis and was taken to the court being tied to a cruiser. It must have been heart wrenching for a mother to see her child in such a situation. In the latter part of her life she was diagnosed with cancer and had to go through complete mastectomy.

This made me cry and I dared a tear to trickle down my eyes. I couldn't have stopped it though!

Even though going through so much in her life the author says Sandra had never asked God, “Why me?” Had I been in her situation I would have broken down and as opposed to her will power would have asked God “Why me.”

Again what made me sad even more when at a particular situation the had described that Sandra had gifts for her but was eagerly waiting for someone to open it for her.

But her will power to survive and to face the hard realities of life makes her a hero, one with an undying spirit.

It is an ultimate book on self realization shown through ones life story.