To Keep Him Safe

To Keep Him Safe is a moving narrative about overcoming adversity and finding a place of healing for Lillian Hawke the loving mother of a son who develops mental illness. Her husband Mitchell a contractor by trade wrestles with self-doubt when he sees behaviors in his son that remind him of his troubled brother and lead him to fear the worst outcome. Their son Danny is a carefree child until about the age of three or four when he begins to become more and more socially awkward withdrawn and antisocial although high functioning. Sarah their youngest child is a light in the family dynamics in part because of her close bond with Danny and her calming influence in his life.Gayle Parish the author and a professional counselor by training conveys the doubts frustrations chaos self-discovery and fear that come with a severe mental health diagnosis and the havoc it wrecks in a young familys life over many decades. The main character Lillian grapples with her doubts and emotional pain as she and her family learn to cope with a special needs child. Dannys diagnosis leads her to a career in counseling which enables her to help others and perhaps most importantly to find her way through a myriad of personal and family challenges. Though life is not easy for Lillians family their deep love for each other supports them through situations that would tear many families apart. The familys journey includes not only dark days but also days filled with light as when Danny an artistic savant communicates in the best way he can - through his art.The author quietly conveys the heartbreaking desperation of a family coping with mental illness. She shows how every character is affected in a different and unique way. Lillian walks a tightrope in her journey of personal growth where she maintains a sense of normalcy for her younger daughter her husband and her job while diligently working to keep her son safe. A beautifully and touchingly told story.