A number of individuals finding on Amazon my historical
novel, Dear
Mama, Love Sarah, tell me of their new-found awareness of the
profound effect the Revolutionary War had on families, such as the
family of Reuben Simpson. The focus of the story is Sarah Sherrill
who found herself in the untenable position of her Sherrill family
entrenched and staunch Patriots and her husband, Reuben Simpson,
a loyal Tory. The story culminates when Reuben leads a regiment of
Loyalists against the Patriots in the Battle of Ramsour's Mill.
Disowned by her father, her children lose all contact with their
grandmother, and Sarah, sadly loses her mother with whom she
enjoyed a very close relationship. It is an emotional and heart-felt
Mama, Love Sarah, tell me of their new-found awareness of the
profound effect the Revolutionary War had on families, such as the
family of Reuben Simpson. The focus of the story is Sarah Sherrill
who found herself in the untenable position of her Sherrill family
entrenched and staunch Patriots and her husband, Reuben Simpson,
a loyal Tory. The story culminates when Reuben leads a regiment of
Loyalists against the Patriots in the Battle of Ramsour's Mill.
Disowned by her father, her children lose all contact with their
grandmother, and Sarah, sadly loses her mother with whom she
enjoyed a very close relationship. It is an emotional and heart-felt
story of
tragedy, danger, retaliation, and renewal.
In writing historical fiction, I recant historical events
and
circumstances of remarkable people, not necessarily aiming to
mirror any particular happening in today's world.
circumstances of remarkable people, not necessarily aiming to
mirror any particular happening in today's world.
However, with Dear Mama, Love
Sarah, I have become
acutely aware that the story is not just recollecting and interpreting
history, but understanding that families are being divided by war
and politics every day, and have been since before and after
the Revolutionary War. Of course, the Civil War was rife with
stories of brother shooting brother, with its accompanying hatred
reaching down challenging reconciliation to each succeeding
generation including our own.
acutely aware that the story is not just recollecting and interpreting
history, but understanding that families are being divided by war
and politics every day, and have been since before and after
the Revolutionary War. Of course, the Civil War was rife with
stories of brother shooting brother, with its accompanying hatred
reaching down challenging reconciliation to each succeeding
generation including our own.
Today, families in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq --numerous
African
countries -- are forced to fight or flee their countries leaving members
of their families split in both distance and philosophy and facing
constant danger. As parents become elderly, adult children often try
to keep in touch and provide the necessary support for their safety and
well-being. We may find this difficult even if the separating
countries -- are forced to fight or flee their countries leaving members
of their families split in both distance and philosophy and facing
constant danger. As parents become elderly, adult children often try
to keep in touch and provide the necessary support for their safety and
well-being. We may find this difficult even if the separating
distance is but a few miles. What if you were here in America
and your parents were across the world in one of the war torn areas.
If parents, how would you keep your family together and raise your
children in a refugee camp? How would you handle the anger and
disillusionment of kin who chose to support the "other side" of a
controversy? Would you, like Sarah, dream at night that your kin
was shooting the members of your family in the heat of battle?
What if this conflict was under one roof splitting your family
and years went by with no resolution?
and your parents were across the world in one of the war torn areas.
If parents, how would you keep your family together and raise your
children in a refugee camp? How would you handle the anger and
disillusionment of kin who chose to support the "other side" of a
controversy? Would you, like Sarah, dream at night that your kin
was shooting the members of your family in the heat of battle?
What if this conflict was under one roof splitting your family
and years went by with no resolution?
When family separation hits home, it is shattering. I have a writer
friend who has faced the Syrian crises with her parents and other
close family members. In Syria, her kin experienced their homes
destroyed, children separated and sent out of the country to
safety, and elderly parents displaced and forced to move a
number of times--daily conflicts even to the point of losing a
parent to illness without being with them in their final hours.
Loss of family is not just a word, it is a monumental tragedy!
friend who has faced the Syrian crises with her parents and other
close family members. In Syria, her kin experienced their homes
destroyed, children separated and sent out of the country to
safety, and elderly parents displaced and forced to move a
number of times--daily conflicts even to the point of losing a
parent to illness without being with them in their final hours.
Loss of family is not just a word, it is a monumental tragedy!
The one unifying belief among diversified cultures is the
reverence
and importance of family ties. We do not get here by ourselves nor
do we live in isolation of others. Sarah with her letters kept hope
alive that she and her children would again be in the company
of her Mama.
and importance of family ties. We do not get here by ourselves nor
do we live in isolation of others. Sarah with her letters kept hope
alive that she and her children would again be in the company
of her Mama.
A pause . . . a prayer . . . a gesture of understanding.
Peace comes within the hearts of each individual. Families of
the past and families of the present deserve no less.
Peace comes within the hearts of each individual. Families of
the past and families of the present deserve no less.
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