The Sitting Swing

This may very well be the best memoir I've read to date.



Irene Watson's story begins to unfold as she tells her dark and sometimes uncomfortable recollection of her homelife. There were so many points that hit home for me in this book that I'm just not sure where to start.

I suppose I'll start with the one that was truest for me-

"There's not a person in this world who can keep his own, personal ambitions and still give his will over to God. Not one person. If God has ambitions for you, that's fine. But let them be God's ambitions."

You all must know by now that I struggle with this. I look back on leaving graduate school and a budding career to move to Alaska to support my husband the soldier and I wouldn't change a thing. Yet, sometimes I wonder if I should be working instead of staying home because of these goals I made for myself years ago. I find comfort in reading the reminder that I should put my trust in my higher power and follow His instruction in my life.

I digress, though. I was going to give a book review, wasn't I? :)

The Sitting Swing tells the powerful story of a child turned adult who endured a rough upbringing. Her early influences in life shaped her into a person she didn't seem to want to be, one that landed her in what she thought to be a controlling marriage. As a child, Irene grew up in a small town, the second (but only surviving) child to her parents. Her mother kept a close, judgemental eye on her from the very beginning which began to seep into everything Irene knew and understood about life.

The book discusses her difficult childhood, going into details of the abuse she suffered and the guilt she carried with her over the years. Then, Irene seeks treatment and the book takes a different path. The reader is put into the shoes of an older Irene who is dealing with the process of therapy and hoping for a way out of the crisis her life has become.

The best aspect of the book is the emphasis of something that I've studied most of my adult life- the ability to change despite poor circumstance, age, or adversity.

I know my counselor friends will enjoy reading this book and I suspect the rest of you will as well.

The Sitting Swing is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble. Both have to option of an ebook download as well. Check it out!

(Note: I received a free copy from the author and was compensated for this review. Despite this, all opinions given are my own.)