And We Stay

And We Stay

Jenny Hubbard's And We Stay starts off like one of those
headline news stories that horrify (and fascinate) so many people
until something new and gruesome replaces them. A high school student
with seemingly everything going for him points a gun at his girlfriend
and then turns it on himself. One young life is ended; another is
deeply scarred.
Unlike the viewer/reader who can dismiss the tragedy with maybe
thank God that wasn't me, bereaved Emily, Hubbard's protagonist, must
go on day by day, navigating a drastically changed emotional
landscape. Not to mention a drastically altered physical landscape.
She has been pulled from the high school she and Paul had attended and
placed in a boarding school where she knows no one in the middle of
her junior year.
In a skillfull alternation of poetry and prose, looking back to
the tragedy, ahead to the future, and inward, And We Stand gives a
poignant picture of a young woman struggling to survive and recover
from a life altering tragedy. "...Fine means no highs or lows. Fine
means no troubles, no conflicts..." Who can she trust? How much must
she hide of her past...even from herself. This is a gem in the
realistic fiction genre and a must read for all high school guidance
counselors.
On a personal note, this year Easter was really good. I started off
with a sunrise service and church breakfast jointly put on by my two
churches. Then I went to the in-laws' abode for a family
celebration. What put me in mind of Easter? The Easter basket I
received just last Friday when it was donated to Black Bear Exchange.
All the goodies including a good sized chocolate bunny. Never will be
too old for that.
A great big shout out goes out to both my church families.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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