Beautiful Child A Beautiful Book

"The inability to forget is far more devastating than the inability to remember", said Mark Twain. I believe this to be the case. The inability to forget is a memory that makes a home in you. It pulls the strings of your mind and heart for better or worse. When something pulls at both the heart and mind it becomes a part of your soul.

I have read and listened to many books. There have been characters that stuck with me. There has been scenes that stuck with me. There have been great lines as well in countless works.
The original Narnia books for example,  read to me as a child and then I revisited later in life, offer a variety of important concepts as well as an escape to a fantasy. Lord of the Flies is another. More recently, 'The Storied Life of AJ Fickry', 'Death of A Snob', or 'The Museum of Extraordinary Things', 'The Killer of Little Shepherds', and 'Beach Read'. However, when I read the prompt the only book that came to mind with the title, author, characters, and scenes along with the same feeling I got when I read it was "Beautiful Child", by Torey Hayden. The story of a little girl named Venus. That book forever has had an effect on me.

I often wonder, if it so profoundly impacted me at the time because I was teaching. It terrified me. Beyond that, it made me evaluate my ideas of the human condition, our roles in life, and what is possible.

It's been over 10 years since I read the book, but It's right there in my mind. It guides me most day's. You never really know what might be holding someone back or what someone may be dealing with. It's also a great reminder that the world is not easy or fair. The world doesn't cater to a persons mood, it goes on. It asks it's members to progress and carry on no matter what happens. It is rare to find someone, like this teacher, so if you are lucky to receive help like this, recognize it, like Venus, and help yourself. Take the small life line that could lead to a grander lifeline.

This book tests the limits of human condition, even for the reader. Who will feel the pain and innocent confusion of the child, the strength and helplessness at times of the teacher, the misdirected hatred and doneness of individuals who would treat children in this way. It creats a desperate anguish as the reader, who like the teacher must see it through to the end. More generally, it is an ode to the strength and will of the human spirit under any condition. This is seen not only through Venus, but through the stories of the other children in her class.

The majority of us are raised with the idea of what constitutes a loving family, even if it's not traditional. We know our roles. Childhood is often looked at fondly for it's carefree innocence. A child is simply not equipped to deal with the world, especially if the parents aren't. The teacher in this story, most would agree, went above and beyond her job requirements, but did she as a fellow human being? What is our role as a good citizen? As caretakers to our next generation? As a fellow human being? What is our role?! Professionally, she is an exemplary model of what accute observation, patience and careful intervention can accomplish.

The story really challenges what is possible on a full scale, of negative and positive. How can a child be forced to live in such horrible conditions for a day or longer, let alone months. How can a child's first lesson be their voice is not important and still find the will to put faith in another and themself again?! Most importantly in the world. The teachers courage as an individual to take on a special needs class and then to acknowledge the issues that arise inside and outside her classroom are honorable and yet relatable, even for non-teachers. We all encounter challenges, like those with her assistant, that can make our work environment challenging. It's how we embrace the challenge that is important.

The outside mishap involving Venus, leads to a challenging path with outcomes neither probably expected. Starting with stories and comics and a teacher willing to lend her will to another until both were better. It proves what is possible when trust exists and passion for life is reignited. A truly heartbreaking story in all the best and worst ways. However, it is undeniable that great things can happen when people come together no matter how bleak it may seem. It is reassuring and astounding what is possible despite our beginnings.

This story is unforgettable for me. A devastation with an equal part of hope that made a home in me. Although there are stories that are more fun and friendly to read, Im not sure there were any more worthwhile at the time I read it. This story did something to me, something I still try to confront and understand when I think of it.





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