Sometimes Even the Little Things Can Bring Hope

A few weeks ago I finished another audio book.  This one, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, by Rachel Joyce, was not Science Fiction, not YA, not Mystery or Thriller.  It was simply fiction.  However, there were a lot of themes to this book and I found it very inspiring.

In essence, a man, Harold Fry, discovers that a woman he knew many years before was dying of cancer.  On a whim, he decides that he will walk from the southern portion of England to the northern part of England, without contemplating a cell phone or proper attire.  Fortunately, though, he managed to have his wallet with him so he was able to use his debit card to pay for food and shelter.

However, over time, as Harold becomes discouraged, he is reminded of several past events of his life and how he reacted to them.  He discovers that while he might not have been the best father to his son, he was at least adequate and did his best as the child grew up.  Even with his wife, it was obvious that there had been a positive infatuation when they were first married that had grown somewhat stale over the years, especially after he retired and was more home bound.

While the sick friend is the impetus for the journey, it is what Harold discovers about himself that is the real reward.  I can say that he does make it to his final destination but not without trials and tribulations.  There are good times and bad and sometimes you feel as if you are right there, walking with Harold.

For me, as I've stated before, listening to the book gives a better sense of what the author might have been wishing a certain character to speak like or the description of a particular passage become ten times better.  This book, read by Jim Broadbent, was one of those books.  The funny thing is that if this book is ever made into a movie, I can completely see Jim Broadbent playing Harold.  His voice brought Harold to life (though I'm certain any narrator would have done the same thing), but I think that I still would have thought of Jim Broadbent as the main character.

Over the time of the book, Harold changes his life around to a point where he is much more confident in his life and his life choices.  I'm not going to ruin the book for you other than to say that the lessons learned are some that I think everyone over time needs to learn.  Yes, Harold may have learned them later in life, after he had retired and was stuck in his small town, but you don't have to wait that long.  Read the book.  Or listen to it.  It's great and I think you will enjoy it.



Until tomorrow.