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The October Gate: Nine Messages of Love, Healing, and Reassurance for Our Planet

Ann Albright
True Spirit Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780981545509
Reviewed by Tina Avon for RebeccasReads (11/08)

I have just finished The October Gate, written by Ann L. Albright and I have so many emotions inside that I needed to get them down on paper.  This is the type of book that feeds your soul, your mind and your body.  Having a few tissues handy will not hurt either.

I was unsure what kind of book this would turn out to be when I read the description.  This subject matter, in my opinion, is difficult to portray, and I was wondering if the author would be up to the task.  She was.  Put simply, this is the story of Lucy and Sarah and it is the story of love and hope.  Sound a little common?  No way.  The October Gate takes the story of friendship, love and acceptance and gives it wings to gently embrace its readers, leaving us hopeful, serene and empowered.

I have written many book reviews and I am not usually so poetic in my reviews, but this book touched me so much that I find myself using words that I don’t normally use in describing a storyline.  I loved the friendship that developed between Lucy and Sarah and I thought it completely endearing to see this friendship continue well into another realm as Sarah passes on.  Both women finding each other at a time of deep need, proving that it is true that the universe may not give you want you want all the time, but it will always give you what you need.

Illness is something that scares me immensely, so I was a little reluctant to continue this book when the opening paragraphs introduces us to Lucy who is seriously ill and is unsure whether she will (or wants to) survive.  She meets Sarah, who becomes Lucy’s guide during this very difficult period of reflection.  Sarah slowly introduces Lucy to a world of possibilities, asking her to think ‘outside her comfort zone’, to be willing to see and imagine a different way, a better way.  I was particularly enthralled by the conversations between the two women when they are discussing Lucy’s illness, during which Sarah tells Lucy that Lucy is responsible, in some ways, for her own illness, as this illness is the manifestation of Lucy’s sorrow at her own unanswered potential.  This theory has long been one that I have believed in, and it truly scares me!

It is obvious that Sarah was a beacon of light for Lucy. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking of the words `Higher Power'. I believe in the concept of a higher power - and that this higher power can be found anywhere. For Lucy, her Higher Power was, indeed, Sarah.

This book is a treasure - but get ready to pull out the tissues.

    

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