My Calibration

I am a bit more than halfway through The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I'm filled with warm feelings for this novel, primarily because I find Henry and Clare so endearing. I am impressed (and admittedly jealous) that Ms. Niffenegger was able to craft such an intriguing, creative and beguiling story for her first novel. It’s not that the author is a terrific wordsmith (although she writes just fine...well, better than fine), it's that she created such a fantastic, involving and incredibly loving tale. I am captivated by her inaugural effort.

I confess a growing sense of foreboding as I proceed. I wonder if my intuition is correct? I will find out soon enough.

I thought I’d recap a few of the lines that struck my fancy (and grabbed my heart):

“…whenever I listened to her I felt my life meant more than mere biology…”

“After she died I don’t think I ever really felt anything again.”

“But don’t you think that it’s better to be extremely happy for a short while, even if you lose it, than to be just okay for your whole life?”

“That’s what I love you for: your inability to perceive all my hideous flaws.”

“Do you ever lie awake wondering if I’m some kind of joke God is playing on you?”

“The house envelops us, watches us, contemplates us as we make love in it for the first time…” (This line filled me with inexpressible sorrow)

And, finally, there was this:

“He isn’t calibrated to bring peace to anyone’s life.”

I pause and exhale slowly. I close the book and ponder that a while. I do believe this characterization applies to me as well.

It sucks to admit that.

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