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BOOKS
Local author takes readers 'Out of the Valley of Tears'
The list of local Catholics publishing spiritual autobiographies grows longer and longer, and many of them are very good. They offer a glimpse into the rich, complicated spiritual lives of men and women who may sit next to you at Sunday Mass, and you’d never know.
Darrell Bowles, a parishioner at St. Mary in Chandler, recently published his own book called, “Out of the Valley of Tears: One Man’s Journey to Truth,” and it ranks high for local writers.
Bowles’ book — like many in the  genre — combines reflections culled from Scripture and the writings of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI along with some autobiography.
Raised Protestant, he was largely uninterested in the faith when he was young. He joined the Marine Corp after graduating high school and lived what he describes as a moderately dissolute life.
Because of his family’s history of heart disease, Bowles eventually decided to give up his drinking and smoking in favor of long-distance cycling. He became a nationally ranked cyclist, obsessed with training and racing.
His obsession often took him away from his wife and young children, and Bowles writes about his regret for often resenting his familial responsibilities.
At this point in the book, Bowles describes the horrible tragedy that changed his family’s life forever. On a dusty, abandoned road outside of Tucson, his car was struck by pickup truck that barreled in out of nowhere.
While Bowles and his wife escaped with minor injuries, and their 3-year old son had barely a scratch on him, Johnny, their 6-year old, was killed in the collision.
The story of his grief, the stages it took, and how he was eventually gifted with faith in a loving and life-giving God is griping and inspiring to read. But it’s all the more riveting because Bowles had long struggled with faith intellectually.
In describing his faith journey, he writes honestly and humbly. In the aftermath of his son’s death, he reached out to everyone as he sought for meaning in his suffering. He wrote to agnostic and atheist friends; he talked with faith-filled Christians.
He sought the Truth with great dedication and sincerity, and the reader can tell that he has laid a solid foundation for his faith.
Bowles fills his book with quotes from Scripture, other works of literature and spiritual writings. These quotes and references flesh out his spiritual life and help bolster his reflections on the faith. At the same time, “Out of the Valley of Tears” is never dry or too academic. Bowles’ personality is there throughout.
It’s a tricky thing, writing about yourself and your faith, but Bowles manages it very well.
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"Out of the Valley of Tears: One Man's Journey to Truth" by Darrell Bowles (Mill City Press, 2010). $11.95. Available at www.journeytotruth.net. |
