This might be the first time I've ever left a review before finishing a book. Please, read this. I implore you.
First of all, Daniel has some magical way of depicting the very essence that embodies emotions. He recreates how he felt and more than that, he paints this emotional picture that I continually found myself falling into like a lake of color which was my own shared lake of dysfunction.
We have all had stress, many of us have had bad things happen to us but how many how truly felt or experienced dysfunction? I'm not talking about spilling your coffee on your pants or getting fired, and I'm not talking about being dumped all the time or having general bad luck. What I'm talking about is experiencing awkward interventions in your life on a perpetual basis. Those can come in the form of poor parental upraising. I'm also talking about hormonal dysfunction.
If you have not felt it, then I will ask you to read this book only when alone and with your full attention because Daniel will paint you a very clear image within you of how it feels. When he says he sat for long periods in front of the TV, he does not mean that he was lazy, or didn't give a s***, it meant that from a very core level (hormonally and from his soul) that there was no motivation or desire. Literally a nothingness that is so consuming that you drown in it and even turning on the TV to watch whatever is on (you don't care what's on, you're just filling time and space) consumes what little energy you have. The empty nothing, the feeling of worthless dejection and the sad, isolated loneliness from mood instability is clearly drawn out from a human being who has truly lived in dysfunction's embrace.
So many times I wanted to hug my kindle as I whispered, "I totally understand," and not only is it inspiring to see a person who is brave enough to stand up and shout out, "Listen to me, you're children are being twisted all up inside!" but one who stands up and says, "I'm all twisted up," and then lay their life out for you to see why and how.
I'm sure I will edit this as I continue reading but I wanted to begin this review now. From the vantage of someone dealing with both edges of the sword (mental and environmental), this has already given me the privilege of leaving my mind and entering my child's. I do forget what it was like to be new to the world; new to life experiences. I say, "Do it this way because I've been there done that." and the child kicks against the thorns and we butt heads...but the child is only trying to experience life for themselves. They need the pain to counter and sharpen happiness. Why do we try and tip this balance as adults in this society? I do the same things his parents do...why? Because I don't know what else to do. But, today I let my son dip his tongue in vodka to see what it tastes like (he's 17 and been asking FOREVER) and yesterday I let him drive in the orchards and practice for when he starts driving school and I would NEVER have done that before I started reading this book.
Today I told my son that we are going to start collecting furniture for college but not regular college: mortuary college. Until I read this book I had told him no, that I wouldn't pay for that. Why? If that's what he wants then I support it. I forgot...I just forgot.
More than that, he's Asperger's Syndrome so he also has a slight mental illness. He's so "normal" that I forget, but I want to thank the courage of this author. It takes a man to admit faults. It takes a man to admit defeats. It takes a man to stand up for what he believes in. It took a man to write this book.
Every parent should read this. We are creating our future, so why are we messing it up so bad?
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