Book Review: Giving Thanks and Letting Go: Reflections of the Gift of Motherhood - New Evangelizers

So often mothers bemoan the passing time because they feel left behind as their children leave to embrace their own lives. Danielle Bean’s book, Giving Thanks and Letting Go: Reflections of the Gift of Motherhood is an antidote to those feelings of loneliness and longing for the past.

This book is about seeing God in all the parts of life, the easy, hard, neat, messy, fun, scary life that we live when we say yes to God. Danielle reminds us that God is there through it all, not just watching us but right there with us, in the everyday moments as we guide our children into adulthood. She talks about the difficulties of having young children who need you for everything and you think you will never have a minute to yourself. And then, you are helping them pack for college or waving goodbye as they step onto a plane to go somewhere you’ve never been.

She speaks of the being happy, no thrilled for them while wishing, in some small way, that they could stay all the while knowing they can’t. And really, we don’t want them to. Though their path may look different from ours it is good and so in that way of all the mothers, we let go knowing it really is good. And in the letting go we see God and know that He is with them and us. And they come back to us and it is beautiful to see how they’ve grown and changed and embraced the possibilities.

Danielle tells the story of her family and it is true and good and beautiful. Notice I didn’t say perfect, because families aren’t perfect. It was a book that resonated with me and voiced many of my own feelings of what I love about being a mom. It also reminded me of hope and living each day for God with the people He gave me.

Danielle’s book is available from Ave Maria Press. And until Feb 12 you can enter to win a signed copy on Facebook or Instagram.

Deanna Bartalini

Deanna G. Bartalini, is a Catholic writer, speaker, and educator. She serves on the retreat team at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center. Deanna loves teaching about Catholicism and how it fits into our daily lives. She writes at DeannaBartalini.com, serves as the editor of the NewEvangelizers.com blog, and is a contributor there as well as at AmazingCatechists.com. Deanna contributed to A Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion published by Ave Maris Press. She is the author of “Invite the Holy Spirit into Your Life: Growing in Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control” published by Our Sunday Visitor. Deanna is available to lead retreats and speak at catechist and ministry events.