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I loved the movie version of Waiting to Exhale, so I was really excited to be able to read Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan. Her characters are all such strong, loving women that I feel like they could be real people, my friends in real life.
Although all the women in Ms. McMillan’s book are black, I don’t think race has much to do with their stories. The loves, heartbreaks, family problems, financial woes, hopes, and dreams are universal, and could have been about my own circle of friends. While each of the women solve their problems in different ways, they each reach out to the others for support and advice.
I think we can all find a piece of ourselves in the characters of Robin, Savannah, Gloria, and Bernadine. They are girlfriends who have kept their circle together for more than thirty years, sharing their good times, and helping each other through their bad times. The call each other first with any good news, and don’t hesitate for a moment if one of the four needs a shoulder to lean on.
Of all the women in this new book, I felt closest to Bernadine. The end of her marriage to James/Jesse and her subsequent depression and addiction really touched home with me. I lived through a similar situation in my own life after my divorce. I was depressed for more than a year and a half, walking around with ice cubes where my heart should have been. Reading about how Bernadine handled herself and got to her own “happy” was like seeing my own life in print.
Now, I am looking forward to the next treat from Terry McMillan, because Getting to Happy left me just knowing there is more to come.
