Alethea Black writes about her struggles through the divorce of her parents, the loss of her father, her battle with a mysterious illness that has no answers, and the people who find difficulty standing by her side during these toughest days.
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I have never written a book review before. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do write short thoughts on Amazon and Goodreads, along with my little stars, but that’s about it. Before I start, I want to give you a little background on my reading habits and how I came upon this enlightening memoir.
I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited and I pay a monthly fee, so I don’t normally pay any extra to read books these days. For about $10 a month I have access to thousands of books in the Kindle Unlimited library. Basically, I’m digitally renting them as part of a subscription plan. I’m also an Amazon Prime member and have access to Amazon First Reads for free. These books are those that I would have had to pay extra for. You’ve Been So Lucky Already is one of those books. It was on the list for the September early editor’s picks.
I already submitted my Amazon review for this book. Here’s what I wrote:
As you can see, I keep my Amazon reviews short and sweet. I don’t always leave reviews, but this book resonates with me. I feel connected to Black in her frustration and hurt at non-believers, her research that knows no end, the multitude of doctors with no answers, and her resilience to keep moving forward. While I feel I am on the path to better health, I still have symptoms with no root cause. I still cannot drive or go back to work. I have said goodbye to my career, as Black did.
In her chapter, “Reason to Stay,” she writes, “I don’t realize that, often, by the time you’re ready for something, you don’t need it anymore.” Wow. How true is that! By the time you realize you need to speak to someone about your chronic illness and everything it has stripped you of, you’re already on your way towards healing, emotionally. At least that’s how it happened for me. Had I sought out counseling early in my illness, I could have probably avoided some really dark days. I might never have lost my positivity. Thankfully, I have replenished my uplifting thoughts, but it took counseling and working through my illness. Grieving and letting go the me before.
Later, Black makes another profound statement that really hits a mark. She says, “I am blind to the future – but I can see the past, and I see it with such fierce clarity that my eyes flick open.” I can’t tell you how many times I have dwelled on the past and wished for old life back. Wished…wished…wished. Again, grieving and letting go the me before.
Her last chapter, “When Your Struggle Becomes Your Song,” is powerful and meaningful, not just to the author, but to me as well. She says, “Accept loss forever. Be submissive to everything, open, listening.” At this point in my life, I have accepted the loss of my life before
Alethea Black writes about her struggles through the divorce of her parents, the loss of her father, her battle with a mysterious illness that has no answers, and the people who find difficulty standing by her side during these toughest days. Sometimes, I felt like I wrote this book. I am thankful she wrote it down, there are so many of us out there who need the reminder that we are not alone and that we should never give up.
Note: I received an early copy of You’ve Been So Lucky Already through Amazon First Reads. The book is available for pre-order and will be released on October 1, 2018.
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