Anne and Joseph are the main couple in this lovely novel by Edward Mooney. It is rare, I find, to read about the love of elderly married people who choose to love one another for always and never let go. I think this is why
"the pearls of the stone man by edward mooney, jr. is so special. Throughout the novel I felt feelings of hope. Chronic illness nor weakness of mind and/or body do not necessarily destroy the love two people hold for one another. Edward Mooney Jr. uses pearls and stones to measure the love of these two people.
I love collected letters in a book. There are letters scattered in this novel. The letters are discovered in odd places at times when a sorrowing soul needs to hear the whisper of love in a practical way once again. I dwelled on the fact that these letters had been written at a desperate time in Anne's life for someone else. Then, they were read by Joseph in a present time of desperation. " I rediscovered the fact that loves grows. True love is like a spinning top toy twirling outwards and around and around making the world seem like it's made of a rainbow of colors. In the pearls of the stone man, I met Tim, Shannon, Isaiah, Shannon's mother. I won't tell their stories. Their parts in the novel are amazing. Needless to say I hope one day to be able to build a stone wall on a piece of property. Although, I am an older person, I have the hope that my ability to pick up the stones, shape the stones and put them in place will not feel exhausting. I will feel rejuvenated because it's all about never ending love. Love is a "pearl" of great price. Pearls and stones of different shapes shift and change like the love in our everyday lives.
Mending Wall by Robert Frost
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!'
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
