A Blog About a Blog About a Book

Once in awhile you just nail it right smack on the ol' noggin.  These moments are rare and wonderful and they must be savored.

Today, that happened for me.  It's possible that Jisun Lee is a lot more savvy than I am, and probably better at self-expression, and that might be why it seems to me as so miraculous.  But there is perhaps no greater satisfaction than knowing your message has been heard and understood.

So, okay, in a nutshell: Jisun writes this wonderful blog called, "Kimche Latkes" about life with four small children, the youngest of whom has Down syndrome.  It's not that her life isn't already full and chronically busy, but she also manages to maintain this eloquent, funny and friendly blog in the meantime.

Before I was aware that she had FOUR children, I approached her about reviewing THE NORTH SIDE OF DOWN.  The reason I approached her was because I adored her style and thought she would be jokey enough to appreciate mine.  Had I known about the four kids, I may have taken pity on her and gone somewhere else.

Lucky for me, I landed in the right spot.  Jisun not only read my story, but she digested it and came back with some meaningful conversation, some empathic statements, and she really reached out to me.  I feel like I've made a new friend.

Meanwhile, it took her some time to come up with a review.  I actually didn't care; I figured she would get to it one day, and even if she didn't, she was so delightful that it would have not mattered.

Well, the review appeared today:  A masterpiece; ten long paragraphs in which she agonized over our story and gave real thought to how it might apply to her own life.   "I found the book resonated personally with me at every turn," she wrote.  "I know that until I read the book, my main concerns were of the outside world, strangers who may not respect or understand my son, but now I realize that I may be missing something crucial that is right under my nose."

This is exactly the reason for telling our story: To raise awareness of what 'might' happen, right under your nose.  It is so gratifying to be heard, to feel as if you might be able to make a difference.  Even just a little.