I read the book, “The Christmas Note”, by Donna VanLiere. This book is about two women who lived completely seperate lives until they met eachother. Gretchen, a mom of two and a wife of an army soldier, recently moved to a small town to be closer to her adoptive mother. Her disconsalote neighbor Melissa, lives alone and is socially awkward due to an unfortunate childhood with an un-fit mother. When Melissa’s mother leaves a death note that she has sibilings, Melissa investigates and figures out Gretchen is her half-sister. In this paper, I will be evaluating what helped Melissa cope with her difficult childhood as well as describing how finding a family in people who are not blood-realtives is the main theme of the book. Melissa had a troublesome
…show more content…
Melissa’s childhood neighbors helped Melissa cope with her difficult childhood as well as Gretchen. Even though Melissa struggled to find love and support from her mother, she had very courteous neighbors to look out for her as a young child. Melissa’s commendable neighbors were the main coping mechanisim that reassured Melissa there was good in the world beyond her family situation. Melissa’s childhood neighbors, the Schweigers would care for Melissa in many ways. For example, they would make sure she never went hungry, “Mrs. Schweiger invited me over a lot for dinner, and years later I wondered if she suspected that I didn’t eat much at my place.” (51) said Melissa. The Schweigers also introduced Melissa to her faith. Melissa claimed, “The Schweigers took me to church every Sunday….I spent three Christmases with their family.” (51-52) The most important thing the Schweigers could do for Melissa as a child, was to love her. Melissa says, “I loved being loved by Mrs. Schweiger.” (53) …show more content…
Both Melissa and Gretchen had a family made up of people who were not their biological parents and siblings. Unlike Melissa, Gretchen had an exceptional childhood. Although her parents eventually got divorced, she had a very loving mom, dad and brother. Both Gretchen and her brother were adopted. Gretchen’s friend, Gloria, talks about how Gretchen and her brother were cared for deeply as adopted children. “Adoption is the most powerful, beatiful story of love there is, isn’t that right, Miriam. Both of Miriam’s children are adopted and they are two of the most loved kids I’ve ever met. Love is learned, you know.”(86-87) said Gloria. Even though Gretchen was adopted by her parents, she learned to love and be loved by her parents. Gretchen, along with her brother and her parents made their own family. Melissa, with a troublsome childhood, learned to love and be loved and ultimatley found a family in her neighbors and friends. As a child, Melissa never had a real family but once she met Gretchen and her family, she slowly began to thrive and developed a family within her neighbors and friends. From the instant Melissa met Gloria and Gretchen’s mother, she knew she could count on them. Melissa said, “I look at both their faces and wish to God that either one of them could have been my mother. I don’t even know them but sense they are good and kind,
Melissa’s childhood neighbors helped Melissa cope with her difficult childhood as well as Gretchen. Even though Melissa struggled to find love and support from her mother, she had very courteous neighbors to look out for her as a young child. Melissa’s commendable neighbors were the main coping mechanisim that reassured Melissa there was good in the world beyond her family situation. Melissa’s childhood neighbors, the Schweigers would care for Melissa in many ways. For example, they would make sure she never went hungry, “Mrs. Schweiger invited me over a lot for dinner, and years later I wondered if she suspected that I didn’t eat much at my place.” (51) said Melissa. The Schweigers also introduced Melissa to her faith. Melissa claimed, “The Schweigers took me to church every Sunday….I spent three Christmases with their family.” (51-52) The most important thing the Schweigers could do for Melissa as a child, was to love her. Melissa says, “I loved being loved by Mrs. Schweiger.” (53) …show more content…
Both Melissa and Gretchen had a family made up of people who were not their biological parents and siblings. Unlike Melissa, Gretchen had an exceptional childhood. Although her parents eventually got divorced, she had a very loving mom, dad and brother. Both Gretchen and her brother were adopted. Gretchen’s friend, Gloria, talks about how Gretchen and her brother were cared for deeply as adopted children. “Adoption is the most powerful, beatiful story of love there is, isn’t that right, Miriam. Both of Miriam’s children are adopted and they are two of the most loved kids I’ve ever met. Love is learned, you know.”(86-87) said Gloria. Even though Gretchen was adopted by her parents, she learned to love and be loved by her parents. Gretchen, along with her brother and her parents made their own family. Melissa, with a troublsome childhood, learned to love and be loved and ultimatley found a family in her neighbors and friends. As a child, Melissa never had a real family but once she met Gretchen and her family, she slowly began to thrive and developed a family within her neighbors and friends. From the instant Melissa met Gloria and Gretchen’s mother, she knew she could count on them. Melissa said, “I look at both their faces and wish to God that either one of them could have been my mother. I don’t even know them but sense they are good and kind,