Postcards From the Soul

Postcards from the Soul By Foster Care Alumni of America Postcards from the Soul By Foster Care Alumni of America Lightning Source, 2011, ISBN: 978-0-9839370-0-5, 138 pages, $34.99 When you open “Postcards from the Soul,” you’ll see into the depths of the often-hidden emotions of people who have shared extraordinary experiences. This collection of postcards is both moving and illuminating. The emotions are raw and genuine. Every postcard tells a piece of the life story of a real person. Maybe even somebody you know. These postcards resonate because they reflect a universal condition: Living in the face of adversity. They speak to all people wanting to have a sense of belonging and to be loved, heard, safe and respected. They often reflect loss, abuse, abandonment, hurt and the mental health and addiction struggles of the postcard author or of someone close to them. By sharing their inner-most thoughts, the creators of these postcards hope that you will have a better understanding of some of the struggles they endured, and that through their sharing you will want to make a difference for someone else who may be facing adversity in their lives. “‘Postcards from the Soul’ moved me in a way that no other book by victims of abuse has,” writes Rhonda Sciortino, author of “Succeed Because of What You’ve Been Through.” “This is not a blow-by-blow account of child abuse, but rather a glimpse into the souls of young people who have experienced the pain of abandonment, abuse, molestation and betrayal. These young people told my story and the stories of the estimated 12 million former foster youth in the U.S. They captured the emotions behind the reality of being unloved and unwanted in a poignant and compelling way yet the undercurrent that runs through these vignettes is strength, resilience, resourcefulness and hope. Well done.” — Review special to Fostering Families Today