The Path We Share by Lois Hjelmstad - Book Review

Okay, so we all know that Valentine's Day is slowly approaching...

Do you buy gifts for your Valentine?
I remember growing up that I would wake up and my mom and dad would have a heart shaped box of chocolates and a card for me...

Every single year!

Although I was not the nicest one growing up...

My mom still loved me, although I know she did not always like me.

Well, if you are one to buy gifts, but you want to get something a bit off the "traditional route"...

I want to share one of my finds for a great gift!

A book.

Not just any book, but a book of triumph, trials and most of all, LOVE.

This Path We Share by Lois Hjelmstad.

In my opinion, this is a great book to give to any woman in your life.

The back of the book says it would be great for a new bride, but I think it extends way more than that!
I loved that this book starts at the beginning of their journey and shares with us all of the roads they traveled down... Literally.

Lois was 16 when she met her future.

He was 24.

She KNEW she would marry him... and that was after their third date!

Lois was a writer, so throughout the book of their story, we also get to read the poems that she quickly jotted down as the events happened.

I was sad to learn of the struggles of "The Plan" they had made..

but I was so happy to see that through it all, their love grew.

Even when they began to question things...

Their struggles proved that love would come through.

The simple things, like their ice creams at McDonald's put a smile on my face as I would have loved to have been one of the patrons, as I am sure their love always beamed like the ray of sunshine they managed to always sit in!
Their 4 children are very lucky to have been able to witness a love, 60 years and going strong!

I admit, I felt sorry for the Hjelmstad's at times...

Then, I felt bad for feeling sorry.

It just seemed like they had so many struggles that I would question where their strength came from...

Then, I would realize, it was their love that was always their strength through it all.

Not only did they have struggles in the beginning, when most new couples would give up...

Just when things were looking better, in the later years of their marriage...

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome appeared...
Later followed by breast cancer.

Not only did this make their love stronger, they were able to serve a greater purpose to others...

Lois and her husband, Les, began travelling and speaking...
Sharing their life experience's with this cancer with others..
Those in the medical field as well as those that facing cancer themselves...

I loved this book, I cried, I smiled...
But most of all, I cherished it...

Knowing that the divorce rate is so high these days, it makes me smile to see a detailed history of a love 60 years and going strong!
(Now, if I could only get my grandparents to write their history down for me! )

As I said, with Valentine's Day approaching, give the gift of love...
This would be a wonderful book to give:

This Path We Share by Lois Hjelmstad.

FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation