This book is written from the heart. Which, in my opinion, is the only kind of book worth reading. It is about a woman dealing with breast cancer. And, because books written from the heart are usually large in scope, it is also about many other topics.

It offers insights into the doctor-patient relationship, ways to live wholly (expressing ALL your feelings - as opposed to living in denial of the uncomfortable ones), the process of living reflectively (the book is written using journals Anne Marie kept), what's helpful (and what isn't) when people are facing a serious illness, dealing with other people as they come to terms with your illness, hospital euphemisms and hospital blessings, gratitude and much more, including - of course - walking on the Bright Side of the Road!

The title (from a Van Morrison song) implies that you could choose to walk on a different side of the road. Throughout the book, Anne Marie shows herself making choices - considering alternative paths - looking at different sides of the road. Her story is a lesson in choosing not WHAT happens or where on Life's journey, but HOW to walk on the "Bright Side", whatever comes your way.

The beautiful introduction begins with a picture of "before" - a description of Anne Marie's life prior to the cancer diagnosis. Bright Side of the Road shows Anne Marie's walk on the path of healing rather than focusing only on "cure", while she is undergoing treatment for cancer.

She experiences fear, depression, anger, as well as many physical difficulties, including pain, exhaustion, and hemorrhoids. Through all of this Anne Marie poured her feelings into her journals, and made an on-going conscious decision to choose to live with hope and openness.

How did she do this? Anne Marie's healing path included many things: allowing feelings, visualization, choosing to change thoughts, trusting her instincts, journaling and generally living reflectively.

Anne Marie's "Bright Side" experience is not about skipping through trials with no pain - ignorant of what is right before your eyes. No whistling in the dark, pretending not to be afraid. Early on Anne Marie shares what she felt in the beginning of dealing with cancer:

Hope and gratitude spring out in other places: In one section, as Anne Marie reflects on paying attention to things, she talks about having been affected by Thornton Wilder's play "Our Town" when she was 14. I first experienced the play at that same age - and the impact on me was exactly what Anne Marie describes:

Me too! Me too! I also made that decision - with the same consequence -

Anne Marie remembers again - while dealing with cancer and treatment...

It's good to remember!

Below, Anne Marie gives us insight into how she changes her thoughts. At one point she mentioned feeling abandoned, when her Doctor was on vacation.

Then, reflecting on changing her thinking...

She also speaks of giving herself permission:

Because of my experience with hospitals (I had a son whose short, intense 3 month life-span was spent in hospitals) Bright Side of the Road reminded me of:

• hospital euphemisms - the names for things that, at first, seem odd - even ridiculous - but, necessarily, become part of your vocabulary over time.


• hospital miracles - or blessings - strange, synchronistic events.


• and how attached you become to hospital personnel.

Throughout Bright Side of the Road the subject of doctor (hospital personnel)/patient relationships is brought up often.

Anne Marie speaks of searching for books about doctor/patient relationships - and finding little. She dives deeply into the subject - exploring large and small elements of relationship. She expresses interest in how trust is built, whether it is appropriate to give a gift to your doctor - and, with beautiful sensitivity (especially since Anne Marie was undergoing treatment at the time she penned these questions) - wondering how doctors deal with death - and sending "a silent blessing" toward her doctor as she thinks of this.

Although Anne Marie does not attempt to teach about friendship and caring in this book, if you read it carefully, you will learn how to BE with a person who is ill (or going through a painful experience). Anne Marie tells of several encounters that are helpful and several that are not:

Helpful encounters have similarities - they often involve speaking the obvious - rather than use meaningless platitudes. People who help speak their feelings.

Negative encounters also have similarities - they may include pity (which minimizes the pain a person is in), or talk about "fixing" the problem more than about feelings.

Anne Marie even shares - in a very poignant section - how she lovingly, but with sadness, deals with her mother's (negative) expressions of concern.

There are many reasons you'd want to read this book. Obviously, if you or someone you love has breast cancer, or has gone through breast cancer andtreatment, the book will be a companion.

But there is also much in this book for anyone who has dealt with a major illness or grief, for medical professionals wishing to learn how it feels to be on "the other side of the fence", and for anyone who wants to learn how to BE there for a friend or loved one who is dealing with a life-threatening illness.

The things I love most about the book are the honesty and openness that Anne Marie exhibits as she shares her story. This book is REAL - which is my highest praise.

I want to quote the book and point to something from almost every page: "Look at this, and this, and this and..." Obviously, due to space limitations, that's impossible. But, I can point you to where you can get the book for yourself -

FYI: Anne Marie Bennett, author of Bright Side of the Road, may already be known to you as the founder of the KaleidoSoul site - where she offers wisdom about the Soul Collage® process, which was developed by Seena B. Frost.

We have an interview with Anne Marie Bennett in our Square-Peg Interviews, please click on the link to get to know her better!