Can Roma Downey, forever loved for her hit series "Touched by An Angel" and a leader in the faith-based
television and film industry, also have the midas touch in the literary
world? Is her new book, "Box of Butterflies: Discovering the
Unexpected Blessings All Around Us", worth opening?
If it has Roma Downey’s name on it, one has come to expect
quality. I am happy to report that this autobiography
even exceeded my own high expectations. It is due to be released on March
6, and throughout my read I kept thinking to myself what great timing it is for
such a transformational book to go out into a world that is full of so much pain
and need.
"Box of Butterflies"
is Roma’s testament to faith as tied into her personal journey through life. The title refers to a joyous gift Roma
received from her husband, Mark Burnett, who knew how special the butterfly is to
Roma and what it has come mean to her over the years. The butterfly is the perfect constant
metaphor that mirrors Roma’s own life of highs and lows--while a creature that
is ultimately admired and prized, it nonetheless endures humble beginnings as a
caterpillar, faces and survives the dark of the cocoon, and must go through
much struggle to emerge as a beautiful being that reaches for the sky in flight--such
an existence reflects Roma’s own start in life during a grim chapter in
Ireland’s recent history, her tragic sorrows, her disappointments and struggles
as she drew strength from her beautiful, vibrant faith which continuously lifts
her up and carries her.
Roma doesn’t just recount her past; she bares her soul as
she reveals deeply personal and painful moments, like when she lost each parent
while still very young. But Roma also describes
how leaning on God and trusting Him sustained her. As we all must go through such painful rites
of passage, her story actually achieves
being life-changing for the reader—benefiting one with its guidance through
familiar tough times and its encouragement
on surviving them. As I read it, her
relatable experiences touched upon many of my own memories, she has a way of
making the reader feel as though he or she is a twin of fate. I can’t recall ever having been so choked up
as a reader with the range of emotional experiences Roma brings to life on each
colorful page, while at the same time being incredibly edified in the faith by
her wisdom and perseverance.
The biblical passages, poetry, artwork, and motivational
adages all harmonize for maximum effect, deepening Roma’s narrative and adding
layers of increased understanding and emotional attachment for the reader.
The book contains a table of contents that identifies
chapters comprised of various virtues and universal feelings, each section
delving into that particular topic as reflected in Roma’s life and written in a
way that we can all identify with or aspire for.
 | |
| Della Reese & Roma Downey |
On one especially sad note for this book, Roma’s former
"Touched by an Angel" co-star and motherly friend, Della Reese, passed away before its release. But not before she wrote the foreword for it,
making this message all the more priceless.
While Roma Downey is an accomplished actress and producer, I
can attest that her writing lives up to the same high caliber for the ability
to connect, move, and entertain. It is
no coincidence that you do truly feel touched by an angel with this story!
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