Book that haunts me

Every once in a while a book haunts me.  Images and scenes come floating back into my everyday life.  While I am walking the dog, or driving the kids to school or just falling asleep at night, I will think again about a story line of a book I read long ago.  That is part of the reason I love wandering the library or bookstore, I find myself reminiscing over books like old friends.  There is a book that has been haunting me lately.  

I hate to say it, but I sort of cry a lot when I watch TV.  If someone wins a race/prize, if someone has a proud moment and of course the sad moments, they all just tear me up.  Is it because I am a mom and am trying all day long to keep it together?  Probably.  Who knows. When all the kiddos are in bed, I sometimes turn on some program and more often than not, I have tears running down my cheeks.  Okay, the other night, I flipped on The Biggest Loser and I still can't think about it because I might just cry right now and the kids are home from school and need me to not lose it just at the moment.  A woman on the show had lost her husband and two small children in a car accident and it was all I could do to hear her talk about not fearing death anymore through my sobs.  I'll probably never forget what she said.  

Well, there was a book I read that had the same effect on me:  Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore (with someone else, can't remember).  I guess it isn't a good recommendation to imply that if one reads a book they will be emotionally drained and out of kleenex all at the same time, but there you go.  Sometimes, just sometimes, it is cathartic to climb that emotional mountain and ruminate over sadness in life.  I once had a professor in college who wisely reminded me that if it wasn't for the darkness in life, we wouldn't know where the light was, nor would we appreciate it.  This book is about a homeless man and a successful art dealer whose paths cross, and whose lives radically change because of the selfless wife of this art dealer.  It is a true story, it is an amazing story.  Even if you don't have the faith this woman possess, you would be a cold person to not fall in love with her compassion.  This is a book that made me ponder what I say I believe vs. what I do about it.  

Life can be magnificent and grand and lovely and painful and lonely and terrible all at once.  Can we reasonably manage all this?  Can we find hope in the midst of the pain?  Ron Hall's and Denver Moore's story elevated the deepest of pain to amazing heights.  I think I may not ever forget their story either.