"The Matter of Grace"

I just finished reading this book " The Matter of Grace " by Jessica Barksdale Inclan which I randomly pick up from Half price Book, without so much thought on the book itself. It turned out that this book has given me a lot of things to thought about. This is a story of four women who has been girlfriends for eight years. It talked about their separate lives, their friendship and how they stand for each other all through those years. It makes me thought about my life, my choices and what I wanted to be.

These women meet almost everyday, they share their secrets, worry for each other and help taking good care for each other. When they found out that Grace cancer has come back, they organized themselves on how they could help her. Grace never wanted any help, believing that she has survived the first one and she can survived again this time. When her condition gotten worst every passing day, with Grace refusing to be admitted in the hospital, they become confuse and suspected if she ever has cancer. It might be that Grace is Bulimic ? They tried intervention, but the mother did not let them. They later found out that Grace went to a shabby house every night (instead of going to the treatment as she claimed), but has no idea for the purpose. Grace died later without a single clue of any diagnosis because her mother refused to have her body autopsied. They never learned that Grace has been abused by her brother and her father when she was a child. She sought anybody attention and love, and would always wanted acceptance and belongingnesss.

Felice wonder if this is what she really wanted in life ? To be a wife, a professor and a mother to her two sons ? Is this the life she imagined twenty years ago when she met her husband, her best friend ? And why they are seeking a divorce now ?

Helen thought that having an affair with a young man half her age, will make her whole again and in control of her own life having made a decision for herself. But, is she ready to shatter the life of her family with her infidelity ? Would she gave up her daughter and her husband because she wanted to feel free ? Is the young man worth those sacrifices ?

Stella who has an ideal family, wanted to risk her life to have another child. Later found out that her husband has been in mourning, wishing to have another child.

Despite all these adversities in their life, these women never gave up their friendship, but instead it became stronger. They have shared each others pain, burden, see each others flaws and yet they accepted. It makes them realized who they are, what they want, and what they love most.

No matter how long you knew a person, there is no such thing as knowing the person fully. And yet whatever flaws of that person, you still accepted them for what they are, love them for who they are.