Fly a Little Higher

I knew that Fly a Little Higher by Laura Sobiech would be a hard book to read. This is a book written by the mother of Zach Sobiech, a teen who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and decided to live every last day to fullest. His song, "Clouds", went viral on YouTube and has over 15 million hits.

The book arrived in the mail today and I wanted, and didn't want, to start reading it immediately. I read the first few pages and was sucked in. It's well past midnight and I couldn't put it down until I had finished it. Tears are streaming down my face as I write this review.

Written from a mother's perspective, it may be the most profound way to tell a story such as this. She captured her pain, her family's pain, but most of all she captured Zach's spirit and goodness. I fell in love with Zach and his lovely soul as I read this book.

The beginning and middle were inspiring, the end was both beautiful and heartbreaking. I wanted to stop reading several times but couldn't. So much of what happened I had to witness myself with little Jacob...so maybe it was a bit too soon to read a book such as this but maybe it would never be easy. 

So many things jumped out at me. Page 156, for example: "I sat, gliding slowly back and forth in the comfort of my favorite rocking chair. I had lulled babies to sleep and dreamed of their bright futures in this chair, and now I had to contemplate what it would be like to lose one. All the memories of years filled by the spirit of that beautiful boy swam in my mind and left my heart to ache like arms that clutched a weighty treasure for a long time. How could I let go of this son who brought so much joy into our lives and into our home? What would our family be like without the child who made everything run smoothly just by his peaceful presence?"

Page 220: "Each happy moment was tainted with the sadness of wondering what it would be like next year, after Zach was gone."

While death and dying is a part of this book, this book is not about dying, but rather how to live. "It is a story about a boy who showed his family, his friends, and eventually the world that everyone can choose to fly a little higher."

I can't help but look at the photos in this book and see my own sweet Jacob's soul within Zach's eyes. It only deepens my belief that God chooses special people to do His work here on earth and you can see it in their eyes. The eyes are the window to the soul and looking deep into the eyes of a terminal child shows you little pieces of God Himself.

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by BookLook in exchange for my honest review.