Posted in Self-Raised by E.D.E.N Southworth

I am responding to the comments left here.

Great comments, ladies! I love asking the questions I do because you all have such wonderful insights that I don't have. It is a blessing to me to read your words!

BlessingsFromAbove - Great thoughts.  I really liked your reminder to sit and enjoy the children. How fast their childhoods go, don't they? My youngest is close to five now and time has just flown by!! I was just thinking this week how much I want to snuggle even my older ones because they are growing up so fast too!

I also thought your comments about Herman to be interesting to think about too. Perhaps I am being too hard on him. I do see that he feels his choices strongly. That is a good thing too I think. Doesn't it lead us to the One who can right them? :+)

BeccaBeard - Good points about Herman claiming Ishmael for his regrets. I wonder if we will get to see inside Herman's heart more and hear his thoughts or if we just get to wonder. Also good point about Herman listening to Ishmael about Lady "Hurt-Me-So." (LOL)

With regard to Lady Vincent you wrote, "We wonder if we're projecting our own bad attitudes onto Ishmael." That is possible, but also as you say, that is unlike Ishmael. Well, we are all inconsistent some of the time and Claudia certainly messes with his heart in a way that prevents him from thinking clearly. We shall see what the information does for her if anything at all.

kympossible - Yes, I was a little surprised too by Ishmael's speed at understanding and accepting Herman's words, but as you say, "his gracious and trusting acceptance" is what we have come to expect. I think I think of what my own reaction would be and I am sad to say that I don't know that I would be so ready to be "the daughter" to a very negligent father, you know? If I am honest I think I would wonder - what is in it for him after all this time? Perhaps things were different then, I don't know.

Yes, I think it was a generous offer to Ishmael - you are right. I think the fact that Ishmael knew the importance of family name and still rejected it in order to honor his mother says a great deal about him.

To answer your question about Self Raised, no, it looks like it was not one book, but a sequel. It certainly is not a stand-alone work in that reading Ishmael is required, but I can see it as a sequel. :+)