“A truly wonderful read “
It is so easy to forget to dream and think big at times. The monotony of everyday life can sink in and convince one that this is it, no more upward growth to come. But then sometimes, fate can jump in and mix things up, because, why not? I once told a friend that the reason she had people that loved her is because she put good energy out into the world and the love she experienced was that energy coming back for her. This memory prompted a smile as I finished “Only in America” having just read a marvelous story about someone’s energy coming back to them in the best way.
I really enjoyed how relatable the character of Milly was throughout the story. She has a job that she is excellent at, but does not particularly like. She has parents that love her but want more for her. She is subject to dinner parties, blind dates, and wishful glances from men. And lastly, she has a big dream that she hopes will come true. These hopes are not supported by actions though as Milly is convinced that putting herself out there will not yield any positive results. So the dream taunts her daily, with opportunities and moments that Milly often let slip by. Milly’s musing that self-esteem is not taught in school was refreshing to see because it is so true. We are often taught how to obtain and retain knowledge, but rarely, if ever, taught how to believe in ourselves. Us millennials are often referred to as naïve and greedy when we want to feel good about ourselves and work in a job that we are passionate about. Why must we want so much? Why cannot just be happy with what we have been given? It is true that the mentality of believing in yourself can be taken too far, leading to arrogance or the thought that you have never quite reached your potential so you must keep pushing, but on the other hand a strong dose of newfound self-esteem never hurt anybody.
It was wonderful to see Milly’s character discover her own newfound self-esteem throughout the story as she slowly realizes that she is more than she thinks and that she can go further. Once Milly starts to take chances and stick up for herself, that is when fate knows she is ready for her dream to come true and for all of the good, hardworking energy she had put out in the world to come back to her. But this journey cannot happen easily of course! Mr. Holland did a superb job of writing a story that kept you hooked right until the very end. How would all these characters interact? How could the domino effect of one single mishap really lead to a life changing event? How many times can characters interact without really interacting? And so on.
“Only in America” was a truly wonderful read and I am grateful to Mr. Holland for reminding us that it is alright to dream big and to fight for it. Even if it does not happen right away, or in the way that you have dreamt, it can still happen. Life can have a way of surprising you, sometimes in the best way. Thank you Mr. Holland for another enjoyable journey.