A Door in the Wall - A Mother's Book Report

Last week was a busy week.  We seemed to be out a lot, but I know me, and I loved it.  One of the neatest things we did was attend our first-ever book club for kids.    What a genius idea.  I have been involved with a book club for women before and I really loved that, too, but this was even better.

We were required to read the book together before the day we met of course.  Then we were told to dress up in the period clothing of medieval times as that was the setting for the book.  We also had to bring a snack that was known to be from that time period as well.  When we got together there would be different activities such as carving/whittling soap, making a coat of arms and also a constellation out of paper. 

The event itself was held in someone's re-done barn.  That was something to behold as well as it was incredible.  Once everyone was in and settled, we all introduced ourselves in our medieval name as often in the medieval times one's last time was created by what you were most famous for, such as John Go-in-the-Wynd, as he was known as being a swift runner.  My kids loved that.  Then we split up into discussion groups where we went through a list of discussion questions.  I couldn't believe how everyone participated so well and were so insightful.

I have to say, though, it was one of my favourite books of all time.  It was called A Door in the Wall, by Margeurite de Angeli.  It was a Newberry Award winner and, generally speaking, all Newberry Award winners are winners for a reason.  It took me a while to see why it was so good, but as the book got closer to the end, that was when I saw what an amazing writer the author was.

Initially, I have to admit, I thought "this book is boring!"  and I didn't know how I was going to keep the kids engaged.  I'm used to cliffhangers at the end of every chapter.  This one had nothing exciting going on at all and from chapter to chapter I kept wondering when it would pick up.

The main character, Robin, was a little boy whose mother and father worked for the queen and king and had left their son at home with someone else to watch him.  After they left, though, he got sick and his legs became so weak that he couldn't walk anymore for months.  He finally ended up being in the care of a monk, Brother Luke, who took him back to his monastery where other sick people were being kept.

The next series of chapters describe how he passed the time slowly healing.  One chapter would describe how he picked up the art of whittling wood and then how that slowly turned into a very good skill of woodworking and the making of instruments.  Another chapter described how he learned to slowly read and write as he had never had the opportunity before.  In other chapters he learned the importance of patience over anger as his ability to carve would was always being tested.  Then he learned how to swim as a way of strengthening his arms and legs.  He was brought down every day by the monk no matter how cold the weather was and eventually learned to go in, even in icy water.  He also learned to use crutches and got so fast at using them that he could run faster than other boys.  All of this was interesting, but not exactly gripping material.

Eventually he was told his father had sent for him and asked the monk to accompany him on his journey.  He ended up at a type of castle waiting for his father there.  It was nearly the end of the book by this point.  All along in the book, besides in the title itself, the phrase, "a door in the wall" was mentioned.  The monk would tell Robin early on,

"...remember the long wall that is about the garden of thy father' house?"

"Yes," said Robin, "of course.  Why?"

"Dost remember, too, the wall about the Tower or any other wall?"  Robin noon.  "Have they not all a door somewhere?"

"Yes," said Robin again.

"Always remember that," said the friar.   "Thou has only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it."

"I will remember," Robin promised, but he wasn't sure that he knew what Brother Luke meant to say.

Later on in the book the author would write a line such as, "out through the door in the wall of the courtyard, they went, into the street..."  She just kept including the phrase "a door in the wall" all throughout the book. 

Finally, in the last few chapters it all came together.  The castle where they were staying had been attacked.  Someone needed to go send for help, but there was no one to do it.  Suddenly Robin volunteered.  It made no sense.  He was too weak and young to go, but he insisted for those very reasons.  No one would suspect he was suspicious.  Instead the enemy would assume he was harmless.  The problem was he would have to go over unstable and treacherous land and with his crutches it would be a challenge.  He would also have to swim across the river which would be a challenge for anyone.  As I read all of this, suddenly the boredom of the previous chapters all made sense.  He had been prepared for this moment all along.  Every single boring thing he had done helped him in this time that required his willingness to go.  He had learned all the necessary character traits, including bravery.  He had strengthened his hands and arms through all the long days being carried around on someone's back and through carving wood.  He had strengthened his legs by all the swimming and running with crutches.  He was, in fact, the only one who could go, who was strong enough to cross the river and make the difficult journey to get help.

He had to fight fear the whole time, but he kept saying to himself, "Anyone could not do it."  In other words, it's easy to not be willing.  Anyone can say no.  Courage is the ability to say yes when everyone else is saying "I won't".

At the end of the book, his parents both finally return to the castle where they have learned of their son's heroism.  His willingness to go had saved the kingdom.  He was called forward by the king himself and is told, "You are a true son of a noble father.  Though but a youth, you have shown courage a man might be proud to call his own."

In the final lines of the book he his found by Brother Luke and he asks him,

"Where am I?" he asked in bewilderment.   "What has happened?"

"Thou'rt here, Sir Robin, " said the friar.  "Safe with all thy loved ones.  'Tis the Feast of Christmas, and thou hast found the door in thy wall."

As I read those final lines, I have to admit, I was very choked up and could barely read them to the kids.  I was specifically thinking of my oldest son as I read this book, all the kids, really, but this one son in particular.  Over and over he came into my mind, especially as the theme started to unfold.  Anyone reading a book on his life would think, "not very interesting, maybe even boring" as day after day would pass without much happening, but suddenly I realized, as I read the book and then pictured his life as a book.  Each day of his life became a week, became a month, and a then a year and, in a way, they all represented a certain chapter in his life. 

From birth, the early chapters of his life were about bugs and nature.  The next few chapters were about his passion for reading and learning all about history, weapons, wars, planes, cars, animals of all kinds.  The following chapters were about his hobbies such as woodworking, knife-making, bee keeping.  Then, the next ones were about his ability to memorize multiple books of the Bible through Bible Quizzing.  There were other chapters on his unique jobs such as veterinary clinic assistant to greenhouse work to managing our farm.  Each chapter appears boring on its own as he was following his "wall", always wondering when the door would appear.  And then his first door opened into university.  That was a BIG door for him.  It taught him even more that he needed to know.  Then another door - India.  That was also so significant as it prepared him for what was ahead that we could never have imagined.  Then, the biggest door yet - Africa.  And from what he tells me, this is the most amazing experience yet.  This could lead to yet another door - potentially med school, Lord willing.

Did the author intend to write this book for a mom like me?  No.  She didn't know I existed!  But I took away more from this book then she will ever know.  I'm not positive if she was a Christian, but I know she had a strong church background.  She even begins the book with this powerful verse from Revelation 3:8, one of my favourite verses, by the way:

"I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

An open door.  Little strength.  No one can shut it.  I closed the book feeling more confidence than ever that my kids' lives are in God's hands.  Not only does He know their deeds, their "boring" lives, but He knows mine.  He knows that I am not the best teacher in the world, that I have "little strength".  But He knows my "deeds", that even with my little strength, I've done my best and I've committed my kids' and their futures to Him.  He then has taken each one of them and all the chapters of their lives and He's going to open doors for them in ways I cannot even imagine.  Even a year ago I didn't know my son would be in Africa.  I had no idea what was ahead.  Who would have guessed all the little chapters of his life would all add up to this door in the wall?  I couldn't have seen it.

Today, I can embrace the boring piano practice, the regular subjects, their unique skill sets they all have, the people in their lives, the time each day developing certain character traits they'll need....all because God is in the middle of writing their books, their life stories aren't done.  Oddly enough, I'm part of their story.  God is using me to help accomplish their final novel (maybe I'll get a mention at the dedication page of one of their "life books"!)

That is why I loved the book soooooo much.  It opened my eyes to what God is doing, that the mundane chapters of their lives are actually so important.  They can't see it when they haven't found what their "door" is.  I can't see it for some of them yet.  Both they and I have to keep "following the wall" until we find the door in the wall together.  What is so great and the most encouraging thing I take from the book is that GOD is writing the book, not me.  If it were up to me, I would make so many mistakes.  But God uses even my mistakes and my weaknesses.  And for that I'm so grateful.  

There, that's my book report for the day.