Theme post

          Pattie's theme for the book would be sense of self . In the whole biography Pattie is trying to find her self. she goes through many rehabs, church groups, and friends just to find who she really is as a person. In the book Justin (Pattie's son) says "Many women who have gone through similar experiences need a little bit of hope- to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel" (pg. 10). Justin knows that his mom has gone through a lot and everyone should never give up because everything will get better. Even though Pattie doesn't say this, Justin was born when Pattie was young so he knows what she has had to go through. Some may think that when Justin gets signed, that everything will get better but they are wrong.

          When Pattie and Justin finally move to Atlanta, it is everything but perfect for Pattie. Pattie is stuck trying to figure out which church to go to or who to be friends with. During the beginning of Pattie's move she started to slip into depression again, until she finally found people that made her feel like she belonged. In Pattie's book she says "I had moments of relief when I was encouraged by a message, an old friends heart-felt prayer, or feeling the familiar presence of God I hadn't experienced in a while. Over time, inch by inch, the darkness began to lift" (pg. 425). In this section of the story Pattie is saying that she is happy because she has finally surrounded herself by the right people. To this day Pattie still struggles with the feeling of being alone but she knows that she has wonderful people in her life to keep her grounded.