Necessary journeys Book

Necessary Journeys is a series of stories in which Nancy Synderman recounts her path of self discovery, from being a young woman lacking in self awareness to becoming what she terms a "woman of substance." She writes of childhood traumas, failed marriages, the joy of motherhood, and the trials and tribulations of trying to combine a career, marriage and child rearing. Although Syderman's journey is unique and her own, in telling it, she provides insight for all women.

In some ways, Snyderman's stories are ordinary, and therefore universal. Snyderman includes stories of mistakes and painful experiences, as well as stories of events that enriched her and helped her to grow. Perhaps it is the painful stories, which reveal Snyderman's bad choices, false starts and blind alleys, the events which shaped but did not enrich, which caused Synderman to say her life has been "messy." But in that, she is like us all, struggling with our imperfections, and endeavoring to cope with the difficulties which bedevil us, while at the same time savoring our triumphs and taking pleasure in our good choices.

Snyderman says that every experience changes us, and her book tells the story of some of her most significant experiences, good and bad. As she says, the journey is not linear. Especially important are beginnings, growth, transitions and endings. Synderman says that she hopes that telling the story of her journey will help other women to reflect on their own journeys through life, and to share their stories with others. In that, I think she has been successful.