Of Grief, Garlic & Gratitude - A Book Review

Rarely does a book come along that everyone, and I mean everyone, should read; a book that teaches us how to comfort those who have lost loved-ones, especially those who've lost children, and how to make it through each day if the family involved is yours. 

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Do you remember what you were doing on October 9, 2013? Probably not. It's a date that the Franceour family and their friends will never forget. The date is forever embedded in their minds and hearts as the day they received the terrible news, news no parent should ever receive, news that their charismatic, happy, friend-to-all-son Sam, passed away. 

Of Grief, Garlic and Gratitude takes you on an unthinkable journey with Kris Franceour as she shares her day to day struggle to accept the fact that her fun-loving, caring, twenty-year old son is never coming home again. Through raw emotion and inspirational thoughts, Franceour reminds us that nothing compares to the death of a child and, even though love is everlasting, pain also follows for days, months and even years beyond the passing. The book ends with thoughtful suggestions for those who suffer a similar loss as well as those left to comfort the bereaved. There is much to learn from this brave and heart-wrenching story.

You may not think this book will have value for you. It's not a fun read, but it's an important read that is also inspirational. Years ago, within a two year period, my husband and I were friends with six families who lost children; five boys and one girl. Four months ago we learned of another. All were unexpected. All were devastating. I wish I had, had the suggestions listed at the end of, Of Grief, Garlic and Gratitude to know how to be a better positive source of comfort for each of those friends.

Of Grief, Garlic and Gratitude: Returning to Hope and Joy from a Shattered Life―Sam’s Love Story

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Contact Sandra Warren ​

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FLY GIRLS MADE ME ANGRY!

Never have I read a book that made me angrier than Fly Girls by P. O'Connell Pearson. 

The story itself is the amazing true account of the 1102 women who became WWII WASPS (Women Air Force Service Pilots) risking their lives on a daily basis, flying planes their male counterparts wouldn't fly and accepting missions the men refused to take, with little thanks and support from from the male dominated Army Air Corps. They bought their own uniforms, paid for their own meals and housing, paid their own way back home after delivering their assigned bombers to bases all over the country and parts of Europe, all while keeping quiet about what they were doing so as to not undermine the egos of the military male pilots. 

Whereas the men were trained and flew only one type of aircraft, the WASPS flew and were expected to fly all different types, sometimes on a moments notice, flying in a cockpit they'd never seen before with the directions in their laps. Some pulled targets behind their airplane so soldiers on the ground could practice with live ammunition hitting flying targets. And yes, several WASPS lost their lives to men who failed to hit the target and brought down the plane instead. 

It would be 35 years before the WWII WASPS were granted full military status after years of battling the chauvinistic military establishment and Congress. Prior to the bill being passed, arguments were still brought forward claiming WASPS were not under military discipline when they flew. This was hogwash since all the WASPS received the same training as the U.S. Army Air Corps male pilots and all of their missions were ordered by the U.S. Army Air Corp. 

This story is dear to my heart because a women who graduated from the high school I later attended, Jane  Baessler Doyle, was a WASP. I had the privilege of meeting her prior to her passing, at 97-years of age. Up to that time, she was clear minded and youthful. You have only to Google her name to see and hear her story profiled on many television spots. My greatest regret is that I didn't interview her when I had the chance and offer to document her story.

                                                                                                      

If you have a relative or neighbor or church member who served in WWII, please sit down with them and record their stories. You don't have to write a book about them. Just record their stories and send them to the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.

Hats off to ALL our service personal but especially the WWII WASPS who are still living. 

To read more about these amazing women, check out the National WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater, Texas.    www.waspmuseum.org. 

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Sandra Warren has written has written a WWII story about what children accomplished during that war; We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of A Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as, two biographies of Army Reserve nurses who served in the Persian Gulf War; When Duty Called: Even Grandma Had To Go and Hidden Casualties: Battles On The Home Front. 

​www.sandrawarren.com    

www.arliebooks.com 
http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC

https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/

https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author