Book review: The Drama of the Gifted Child

· by · in Healing. ·

There are two kinds of books in my life – and they both start out the same way. Here’s the drill: I’m in Borders and picking them from the shelf, one by one. I go to the second floor to sit in Starbucks and read them a bit. The first two I read in fits and starts – I don’t buy them. The third one I become engrossed in and begin to underline it – this is the one I buy.

child.jpgThe Drama of the Gifted Child is so good, I had to borrow a pen! I simply COULDN’T avoid underlining it.

For anyone who has that empty feeling inside, or who struggles to understand why their emotions come and go, they go up and down, why they over-extend themselves, or why they react badly in certain situations – this is a TREMENDOUS book.

And it’s NOT about gifted children. The name is reallyt misleading. It’s just about people.

I have read hundreds of books, but I have never read a book that so explains how I came to be me, helping me understand my past experience… and it’s written with real simplicity and some amazing wisdom. By the middle of this book (and I only bought it last night) I have some further insight into where I came from, I have insight into the experiences of people around me – and I have insight into how to avoid what I previously did in my past relationship, so I can avoid it.

And what is very exciting for me, is that I have increased self-confidence because the writer describes the possible past problems AND the possible future solutions and alternatives. This is an affirming book that doesn’t water anything down and doesn’t put everyone into one basket. It doesn’t make everything ok, it simply outlines the way forward – if we’re willing to make the effort to travel this road.

What really excites me for my life is that this book builds on the vision that I already have… of what I consider a “normal” life It’s not one with depression or extravagance, it’s not up or down, it’s not going big or getting small. It’s just me. Being me. And finding real, accepting love.

NOTE: A book can lead us to water, but it remains for us to drink the water. God will help us, but we are the ones who must do the drinking.