“One time I saw a tiny Joshua tree sapling growing not too far from the old tree. I wanted to dig it up and replant it near our house. I told Mom that I would protect it from the wind and water it every day so that it could grow nice and tall and straight. Mom frowned at me. "You'd be destroying what makes it special," she said. "It's the Joshua tree's struggle that gives it its beauty.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Jeannette Walls gave us in this book the story of her broken and dysfunctional childhood, with an alcoholic father and a selfish mother, both intelligent but tormented by invisible monsters. Full of anecdotes with horrifying and beautiful moments, I was frustrated, angry, sad and sometimes having a hard time trying to believe everything was actually true. Jeannette after living these deep and sad moments, she wrote with resilience and objectivity, she’s like “this is my story, you decide how to see it” and I found that so real and powerful. I think is so inspiring how she walked away with love and understanding for her parents after the events. This story about broken promises is going to stay with me for a long time, I’m sure.