Browsing titles at the library Monday I came across a book I'd never heard of--Miracles for Michael by JoAnn Arnold, published in 2004. The book is a quick, easy read that tells the story of nine-year-old Michael who, after a string of tragedies, is left alone. His mother is in the hospital in a coma so a Harley-riding widow named Samantha takes the boy in and a series of heart-warming miracles begins to unfold.
One of my favorite parts of the book is when Samantha tries to comfort Michael, who is bent on running away. She asks him to look into the night sky with her:
"Those stars are out there shining every night. Even when the moon is so bright we can't see them, they are still shining with all the brightness they can muster. It's a good thing the moon hides itself, once in a while, so we can see the beauty in the sky, beyond its face. Sometimes that's the way life is. It gets in the way and we can't see beyond the face it shows us today. But if we are willing to simply take a chance, oh, my goodness, what a world begins to open before our eyes, and life gives us a glimpse of what is out there for us."
The story unfolds during the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas--I didn't mind reading it out of season, probably because with all the snow we've had here of late it still smacks of winter. The final chapter does take the story past the holidays and provides a glimpse of what happens in each of the charming character's lives.
If you haven't read Miracles for Michael, put it on your list of t0-reads for this upcoming holiday season.
Or, do what I did and enjoy it during this blustery first week of April.
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