A Book Review and Some Stories

A while ago I bought the book "Paris" by Edward Rutherfurd. Now I will be honest, I bought the giant book (it's almost 900 pages) solely because it was called Paris and I am just a little bit obsessed with the city of love (okay I am VERY obsessed). The description sounded interesting enough and it was only $20 at Costco so I bought it. Let me just tell you, the surprise and joy I found in that book was beyond belief. Without giving anything away, because you have to read it no matter how long it is, "Paris" is a 5 star book that anyone could enjoy. It follows the stories of several families over several hundred years and how they cross and uncross paths. From feudal lands of France to the bloody Revolution to the building of the famed Eiffel Tower, the rich history of these families is clearly evident chapter to chapter with everything coming together with WWII. Each chapter is labeled as a year, telling the stories of the French families and brings everything to a finality tying all the stories and families together. In many cases, only the readers know how the families are interlaced. Some of the stories of the families are tragic, some are hopeful but all of it is beautifully written. I cannot wait to read the other books of  similar style written by Edward Rutherfurd and I almost have his complete collection of written works! I really loved this book from start to finish and I really hope the rest of you enjoy it as well. Please consider this wonderful read!

Now that this book review is over the you may read some stories! I hope you enjoy these as well!

5 January 2014

Heartache

His words enter her ears but her heart won't let them penetrate into her thoughts. I just don't love you anymore, I don't know if I ever did, he said to her that warm summer day. She so badly wanted a hug, a touch, anything to prove to him his words were false but he gave her nothing. He was correct, she knew it, he did not love her anymore.

He walked away and her heart shattered into a million pieces. They shared an apartment. He said he already moved his stuff out and would pay his portion of the lease until she could find a roommate. How cavalier of him. She didn't care. She couldn't live there anymore. Not now that her fantasy was gone. She gave him everything, so why did he leave? She could not resolve her pain and lack of an explanation.

She sat on the bench he left her at near their apartment and cried. When she had no more tears she sat some more. Her stomach groaned but she could not eat. He never loved her, she officially concluded, he wasted her time. Her pain grew to anger. What was wrong with her? She was pretty, every told her so. She was well off, she was kind, independent, had a good family and had a great job. He had seemed distant for a while, she often felt like a convenience to him and not a partner. He probably had another girl she thought.

She was never an angry person and she didn't like that him not loving her made her angry. She needed a fresh start. She always wanted to travel but he never wanted to go. Her best friend would beg her 'please just come with me. I'm going to Egypt this spring. You need to see the world.' This was her chance. She had already wasted a good couple years of her early 20's she couldn't waste anymore.

She called her best friend and booked 2 tickets to India. She had always wanted to see the Taj Mahal and nothing would stop her now. Her heart was still broken but now she dreamed of princes of India and Bollywood glamor. She contended that no one would hold her back again from doing everything her heart desired.

6 January 2014

Message In A Bottle

Bailey walked along the beach. She loved the sandy beaches in Florida along the Gulf of Mexico because she could always find beautiful shells there. As she wandered the picturesque white sands something hit her foot. She looked down and realized it was corked bottle with a message inside of it!

“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep. The more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite.” -Romeo and Juliet

Live honestly, love deeply and spread joy and happiness to all who cross your path. Smile and say hi to the next person you meet, you never know what may change their life.

There was no name attached to this message in a bottle. No identifier of where it came from, only that it was written in English. She walked back home thinking of what to do with this beautiful note. She wanted to pass it forward and decided to head home. When she got to her car she noticed a woman sitting on the bench nearby. She looked sad so Bailey waved at her and said, “Good afternoon!'” with the lovely smile she was known for. The woman smiled back and seemed to perk up.

Huh, maybe the note was right, she thought and drove off to her home. She decided to keep the message in a bottle on her desk to remind her everyday to be a better person. She sat at her desk and rewrote the note with a little addition, This note is rewritten with great joy. It changed my day and my life so I hope it changes yours too. Pass it forward. She popped the new message into a new bottle. She was supposed to visit her cousins in Maryland next week and decided she would toss the bottle out to sea then so it could land in a new place for a new wanderer.

Her and her cousins took a boat out to sea to whale watch and on their way out she threw the bottle into the ocean. With all her hope and desire she dreamed of it having the same affect on someone else as it had on her. The world got to enjoy her lovely smile just a little bit more thanks to the original message in a bottle.