Absolutely sure to touch your heart.
You know how some people in your life, maybe your great aunt or your dad’s older brother, have always seemed old for as long as you’ve known them? What about your parents? Can you imagine them differently than they are today? Younger, insecure, maybe less confident, or affected? C.J. Hudson details his life and journey in Destiny Lives on Fairhaven Street, a sweet letter penned to his kids. The overall story is about achieving balance, embracing acceptance and meeting the love of his life, but that simple synopsis does nothing to prepare you for the emotional typhoon this Fairhaven book will unleash. Hudson’s story is full of stirring ups and downs, beginning from the very first page. “My hazel eyes shifted between brown when I was upset and green when I was happy. Back then, they weren’t green very often.” The tone evokes a sincere sympathy from readers as the author touches on those delicate and sensitive areas many of us have struggled with in our lives.
One of the most beautiful things about this true-life account is that, as a thoughtful father, C.J. Hudson has taken the time to share all the parts of his moving story with his children. There are a number of times the author addresses his kiddos directly while recalling his own childhood, which is at the same time endearing and intensely personal. In this creative manner, he is able to preserve their heritage and illuminate the darker places of a past that might otherwise be too painful to talk about or simply lost to time. Ultimately, Hudson transcends the darkness and captures with shining clarity what it means to find and express true love. This emotional manipulation is spurred on by a countdown clock that doesn’t land where you expect, plus a deliberate and meaningful soundtrack added to the beginning of each chapter. With these intentional songs running through your head as you experience pain, heartbreak, joy and satisfaction, the meaningful feelings that well up within are sure to stay with you for a long time after finishing the book. Absolutely sure to touch your heart, Destiny Lives on Fairhaven is an honest memoir filled with vulnerability, sincerity and a candid dose of reality.
