5 out of 5 starsTurning Pain into Power

August 26, 2018

Format: Kindle Edition

We know that reading allows us to live another’s life, and what a gift is when someone can turn their pain into power. This is what Honey Kasper has done by telling her story. As we follow her journey as she grows up, the harmful moments she has to endure grow as well. It reminded me how fortunate I was in life to have a stable home and loving parents and how much we don’t know the battles others around us face, who endure this but manage to function. I found myself in disbelief of what she was subjected to, and sometimes it was difficult to experience with her, but I wanted to be along for the journey as she overcame such trauma. The storytelling is sometimes fragmented, but that form reflects what life was like for her and reflects the PTSD she suffered as a result of her traumatic experiences. Her ability to, often barely, survive, yet find contentment comes from subtle details and circumstances in her life; they are moments she, even when a little girl, can focus on when there is a lot of dysfunction surrounding her. Just as she emphasizes about the small things life, there are so many little details that are so special. The joy she finds in those little details and fond memories of simple everyday moments with her grandmother really juxtapose the not so happy stuff that was going on in her life. It shows how she found such delight despite the circumstances of her life not always being the most pleasant. The challenges she faces are frequent and will have you wondering how a poor child could or should be subjected to such things. This contrasts the lack of details about her mother, which repeatedly reaffirms her mother’s absence from her life and absence from the role of mother. Her story was very compelling, and shows what fortitude and faith she had to survive and thrive after all that, and not just survive but dedicate her life to helping others, when after all she’s been through, might compel someone to seek relief and finally be able to focus solely on their own well being. It is truly inspiring!