BY JEFF BETTGER

I have many friends who write blogs, and poems and songs, but very few who write actual published books. I am always super supportive of those self-disciplined individuals who take their time to write something cohesive and put it out there for others to critique and share.

I especially find it amazing when they write something deeply personal and confessional as opposed to just some head knowledge hypotheticals that they may or may not have any personal experience with. I have found that most the folks I know who write theological or philosophical books tend to know more than they have experienced. They are often educated beyond their personal experiences and thus end up writing conjecture and rhetoric that really doesn’t speak to a person’s heart and soul.

So when my friend Molly told me she was writing a book about her brain injury and the recovery process, I was excited to read her story more in depth. I was familiar with what had happened to her as she had told me the story a few times and my friend Will Foster made a video of her for a neuro-surgery festival.

Yet, I was so surprised when I read her memoirs. The emotion and depth behind her story and the pain of experience draws you in. I began to see Molly as a miracle. She mentioned that it was a miracle that she was alive, but her articulation of the event made it real clear.

The way she writes from the heart brought me into the situation as if I was there feeling, processing, and understanding with her. Everything was new for her she had to learn everything all over again, while part of her knew she had done this before. I can’t imagine not remembering myself or anyone else and beginning all over again with walking, talking--even thinking.

I was drawn in to somebody else’s living nightmare, hellish pain, while at the same time seeing hope and peace through the entire ark of her story. This is a book for anybody who has any empathy for others. It is one that will help you see what it could be like to meet those suffering where they are at without prejudice or assumption. Molly has a unique voice with her writing style. She adds depth and complexity using metaphor and emotion to bring you closer to the reality of the situation she has experienced. It’s as if you are in her head.

This book may be written to encourage brain trauma victims, but I think it is a story that all of us have something to learn from. Whether it be the way you perceive others or just a simple reminder of how quickly your entire life can change, you should read it.

Keep up with Molly on her site: http://www.mollymiltenbergermurray.com/