The Little Way (Hint: It's Four Letters)

The Little Way of Ruthie Lemming by Rod Drehr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm giving this book a 5 because it stayed with me after I finished it.

I read this book because it seemed to be getting a lot of hype from booksellers. In the first quarter to third of the book I kept thinking, this book is interesting, but it's not all that good. I found that the deeper I got into the book, the more the story resonated with me.

Rod grew up in a small town that was too small for him. He was (is) intellectual, and did not fit in. He couldn't wait to leave his hometown of St. Francisville, Louisiana, and he does leave. He becomes a successful journalist, marries, and has children. During his young adult to adult years he continues to come home to visit, staying in touch with his sister, Ruthie and his parents. When Ruthie gets cancer, he is pulled home more often, and he notices how the entire community supports his sister, her family, and his parents. He begins to feel a desire to come back home.

There is, of course, so much more to the story than just this. These are the two things that I came away with.

1) He talks about people who "abide" with his parents - just being there for them and with them. Isn't "abide" a great word. When do we ever take the time to abide with each other, patiently bearing each other up? This is something I want to think more about, and a habit I'd like to adopt.

2) He mentions that when he and his wife tell his friends they're moving back to his small hometown they expect that they will be greeted with astonishment and ridicule. Instead, many are envious that they have this option. One friend says, "I have many friends but I wouldn't trust one of them to pick up my daughter from preschool", and another says, "I am surrounded by people but I am alone".

I find this so sad. All the ways we have to connect in the world, and yet, we remain disconnected.

For these two points to ponder alone, it's worth while to read the book. And oh, Ruthie's little way, it's all about love.


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