I'm Completely Fine

No really, I am.

Why won't you believe me?

Okay, I think I know why. Most times when people say they're fine, they really aren't.

But really, I am.

I recently read the book 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' by Gail Honeyman.

Eleanor Oliphant is a socially awkward young woman with a boring office job and a pretty non-existent social life. Her life is completely uneventful. And she is completely fine with that.

Well, until she develops this crush.

One evening, Eleanor attends a little pub performance and becomes completely smitten with the lead singer. She decides then and there that he is the man for her and it is only a matter of time before they tie the knot. She begins to obsessively "research" him and does various "preparations" for when they eventually meet. (I mean, we've all been there right?) She even goes for her first-ever bikini wax and it is absolutely hilarious!

During this period of "preparations", Eleanor finds herself in various situations where she is forced to interact with people who she would ordinarily avoid. And she finds herself surprised at how much she enjoys their company. For the first time in her life, Eleanor has a social life and she is actually enjoying it. She develops a close friendship with one of her colleagues and begins to experience emotions that are completely new to her.

Throughout the story, we get little snippets of her past. Things that she doesn't seem to want to talk about or think about. We also get the impression that her mother was a very cruel person to her. Eleanor seems to feel no real love or concern for her mother but talks to her each week out of daughterly obligation.

As the story peaks, we learn more about Eleanor's past and the trauma that she went through as a young girl. Eleanor's response to her trauma was similar to what most people do - bury it as deep as you can and pray that it stays buried. Unfortunately, these things always have a way of coming back to us.

Eleanor finds herself in a position where she is forced to face her past. She goes through a very difficult period of breaking down every wall she had built over the years. But once she's done all that hard work, she is finally free of it all. Finally able to say that she is completely fine, and actually mean it.

Gail Honeyman did an excellent job of telling such a real, human story. We all experience trauma or difficult moments in our life, and we all tend to bury them or run as far away from them as we can. But it is only when we sit face-to-face with the things that hurt us, that we can truly begin to heal. It is only then that we can walk toward true joy and peace.

You can get your copy of 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' on Amazon or at Exclusive Books