Firefly Lane

I just finished a novel by Kristin Hannah called Firefly Lane. After I wiped my tears and blew my nose, I realized this is a story not easily forgotten.

From the moment I picked up this book I was hooked. Even through I don't get very often to read with my one month old daughter, I read this book surprisingly fast. As soon as I read the last word I was compelled to talk about it. I read a lot of books, and most finish without much thought, but this one is different. This is a story that every woman should read. I makes you appreciate what you have in this crazy and chaotic world we live in.

Firefly Lane is the story of two women and their thirty plus years of friendship. There are good times and bad times, better times and worse times. It starts in the seventies and concludes in the twenty-first century. They get through adolescents, dreams, jobs, relationships, success, failure, children and the lack of them, and finally what matters most in this world. I don't want to give to much away, but it is a compelling story.

I think this book strikes me so hard because I can identify with it in so many ways. I have a best friend similar to TullyandKate from this story. Dana and I met when we were four. We still keep in touch and probably know each other better than anyone else, in the ways that really matter at least. I may not know what new style she is into, I know what is going on in her heart. We have gone through school together, relationships, rough times, deaths and weddings. We were both the maid/matron of honor for each other's weddings. There are so many times that I will never forget and much of who I am today is because of our relationship. We may have missed a few months or even a year here and there since we've known each other, but no matter what is going on we talk as if we see each other everyday as we did when we were kids and things were so much simpler. I hope our friendship lasts throughout the decades as is described in this book.

This book also relates to me in other ways. It involves a loving and dedicating husband, a true friend, children, struggles with a career, a love for writing, being a mom and being a woman. I hope to remember some of the reactions presented in this book for when my kids get older and as difficult circumstances come my way. I draw so much strength from my husband and that is a relationship that matters so much to me.

There is so much to be said about this book and I feel like I am not saying any of it right. So I will leave my thoughts as this...This is a book of inspiration to hold onto what in this life that really matters - Love.

So read this book. I dedicate it to all who I have lost, my mom, my husband, my children, my girlfriends and myself. Sometimes, we just need to remember that we can never love too much.

AGM

9.21.09