A story from Holly Link about The Longest Road Home posted 07/06/2010 Hello John I just watched the movie Marley and Me for the second time and I just finished reading your book "The Longest Road Home" for the second time. Thank you so much for both stories. I was raised in an evangelical Christian church and faith was everything in my family..so I can relate to what you're talking about. It was so interesting to see you discuss how your parents thought that Protestants didn't have it right and that Catholics were the one true faith, because we were taught that Catholics had it all wrong and we were the one true faith. I always worried about you Catholics! I walked away from my faith a few years ago for many of the same reasons you describe that you did.. and that decision has seeped into every facet of my life. You wrote something in your book that really hit home to me. You said, "The chasm religion had cleaved between my parents and me brought competing emotions: the heady feeling of liberation tempered by the dull, aching sadness-sadness palpable, sometimes barely registered, but present every day-of knowing I had caused my parents so much heartache." I know that even though I am a devoted wife, mother, high school teacher, that I am a disappointment to my parents because I have walked away from the faith they built their family on. Nothing is more important to them than the long-standing Christian heritage they helped to carry on and now I am breaking that and it feel like a betrayal to them. My parents reaction to me is much like your parents reaction was to you..filled with so much anguish and disappointment, but still love. It's hard. But your story has given me hope and a model..and courage. I struggle to not be bitter now that I understand how scewed (sp?) and tainted my relationships and worldview were because I was so afraid/judgemental of sin and sinful people. I think I missed out on a lot of beauty in life and a lot of potentially beautiful relationships (didn't sound like you had that particular problem..good for you!). I try to remind myself that my religion also gave me good things too and probably kept me from bad. I'd love to know what you tell your kids about God and your upbringing. My kids are still quite young and I feel like I'm really waffling in that area. And on another note, we just adopted a crazy goldendoodle named Charlie. He is stressing me out because he barks and steals things from all around the house, but the movie helped me be more patient with him and just love him. Thanks so much! And if your PA house looks anything like the house in the movie...love it! A story from Holly Link about woops posted 07/06/2010 In my comment below, I screwed up the title to your book. So sorry! "The Longest Trip Home!" Read More Stories > Begin Sharing Your Story >