I love to read but honestly in my life that luxury is limited. Except for yesterday. I started a book and finished a book, in one day! Granted it was only 195 pages but it was an Easter day treat that is not the norm. 3 of our 5 are not here so it changes the pace of life for a few days. Selfishly, I will say the break up of routine is just what I need. Our springtime calendar moves at an incredible pace, shuttling five little butts from activity to activity makes my brain spin. So I will welcome a week where the shuttling, the noise and the cooking and cleaning are all taken down a notch and I can read a book (in one day!)
Now for the book....
Once Upon a Secret - My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and its Aftermath by Mimi Alford. It was a fast read and an intriguing read. Since our visit to the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston a few months ago, I've wanted to read this book. It's more a story of a woman's journey in finding herself, finding peace and moving forward with a lighter heart rather than gossip, scandal and infidelity. Although it's all there if you want to read it that way. Faithful readers know I love to learn about the journey us woman take and that was my focus as I read Mimi's account of her White House years and life. She comments that she is a footnote to a footnote in history not exactly headline news but with hungry media attention anything and everything can become a headline. I don't agree with the affair she writes of, I was put off by the casualness of sleeping with a married man and the power plays that seemed to be in the bedroom with them. I understand her struggle as a 19 year old girl, she was in over her head motivated by power and sex. Later in the book, her pastor friend and boss Tom explains sex as a 12 letter word - Faithfulness. A few things did stay with me as I read each page when you are somewhat of a society family, attend prep schools and are connected, opportunities present themselves. I guess I always knew that but this book made me think about that. It made me connect to Father Tom's homily a few weeks ago, He said, "you become who you hang out with." It also made me think about my girls. How strong and smart I want them to be. I don't want them to have to sift through so much of the craziness of life, to find their own peace - I want them to be smarter and brighter and more aware, than us. I don't want them to have to maneuver the trials of life, hurt, secrets, or shame to somehow, someday get to contentment and happiness. That's the journey of woman that I am intrigued by. We all seem to have stories, rights of passage. I am not sure it plays out that way for the men in our life. As Women, even when we have a twinge of the trials that may lie ahead, even when our girlfriends and our mothers send subtle or in our face warnings we still take the journey. I guess we can only hope that the journey and peace are all worth it in the end or at least make a good book. Mimi Alford shares her footnote with the world in an effort to move forward.
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