“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.” Author
Hildagarde Spielbauer Brooks quotes Khalil Gibran as she dedicates her book to the future generations of the Spielbauer family.
Living Arrows tells the touching story of her family’s life in a small Iowa town, spanning 50 years from the early ’20s to the end of the ’70s. Part I (Vignettes) introduces each of the15 members of her family, including herself, by way of brief, endearing portraits. This sets the table for Part II (My Story), the “heart and soul” of her story–her family’s struggle to survive during the Great Depression years.
How could such a large family survive the Depression? The answer lies in the Spielbauer family’s unshakeable abiding to their Catholic faith and the principles of charity and mercy. Hilda’s parents did more than just feed and clothe their children. George and Frances Spielbauer’s faith, determination and resourcefulness guided the family through the worst of times. Though the kids were branded as the “poor kids” of the small town of Guttenberg, the Spielbauers were a proud breed whose love for each other motivated them to continue to endure and grow. Charity and mercy extended far from their humble home. The family offered what very little they had to the community, and the community reciprocated in kind.
With words expressed in simple sincerity and genuineness (though with occasional copyediting errors), Brooks shares her secret to survival, now familiar in the wake of Hillary Clinton: “it takes a village to raise a child.” One heartwarming story after the other treats the reader to dozens of inspirational lessons of life. Living Arrows deserves a prominent place on the shelf and will provide solace for those in need of spiritual strength to guide them through troubled times.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
