God Sent Me a Reminder

One recent Sunday morning, I decided to check my email before going to Mass. Among my emails was a review of my book, The Third Floor Window, and I was excited to read it right away.

Unfortunately I was surprised to discover that it was my first negative review in 5 years and it upset me. It upset me a lot more than I care to admit.

I went to Mass feeling a bit down about it. When we got to church, I made a visit to the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel for a few minutes. I then went to sit in a pew, a little earlier than usual. It was quiet, not many people there yet.

I was not there long when a woman came over to me and said she needed to tell me something and she began to cry. She told me that she had read my book and it had helped her so much. She too had been sexually abused.

I almost cried, too. And I thanked her and told her she had certainly picked the right time to tell me.

Looking back, I realize that was all a God-incidence. Normally I spend more time in the chapel with the Blessed Sacrament and I have no time to talk to people before Mass. It was early enough that there was no one else around us so we had privacy. And then for this to happen the same day I got that bad review.

I think God wanted to remind me that I did not write that book to boost my own ego. I had a much different purpose. I had written it primarily to help other survivors and friends and families of survivors. And that was more important than any one review.

Amen to that.