They Loved to Laugh, a delightful book to the rest of the world about an orphan girl finding true love with a family seeped in it.  A few places of friction causing minor plots to intrigue the reader, but simply, this is what this book is about.  However, as a BLUE personality, I cannot close it and say, “Wasn’t that a pleasant story”.  It was gut wrenching for me.

At the beginning of the book, when Jonathan is leaving the boys get together to express their love, and Clarkson declares, “…I am not ashamed to say I love Gardner brothers.  If so be any of you ever needs me I’d give my life for any of you gladly.  You’d do the same for me.”  Jonathan states, “No one of us shall ever let his own selfish heart come between his brother and himself.”

These are words that are spoken in love, in the context of an oath.  Both boys meant what they said, and true enough, at the end of the book, you see the self-prophetic words of both boys.  It tears my heart out, because I don’t believe Clarkson had to die.  I don’t think he finished his mission – I think he gave his light up in this world for his brother’s sake.  I think he knew of Jonathan’s love for Martitia, but I don’t think he could bring himself to deny his own love.  Being sensitive in nature, I am sure he saw her love for his brother as well, and rather than come between them, he stayed where he knew death was certain, and died.

the end that he was aware of the drama being played out by his sons and her, and yet chose to remain silent.  I find this to be horrible!  What if Clarkson hadn’t died?!  What if he had returned home for her and Jonathan had remained resolute?  Martitia, because she was clueless, would have married the brother she never loved, always holding a candle for the brother she really belonged with.

It is my belief that one’s truth should always be told, no matter how painful it is in the moment, because in the long run a stuffed truth will only cause more pain and tragedy.  I didn’t always feel this way, but after learning about the emotional cause of a hypothyroid, I do now.  I can understand Jonathan – if you have that personality, or that program to hold back, then hold back you will.  As the father stated, “he is human”.  But the father’s silence I find unpardonable!  There are some secrets that are meant to be broken.  God gave him insight, and he chose not to act on it.  Clarkson was the only character who spoke and remained in his truth, and I was very angry that he was the one that paid the ultimate price for it.  It broke my heart.

Otherwise, this is a wonderful book with great values.  Thrift, work ethic, family bonding, the lesson of not taking life so seriously (although that’s a hard value for a blue personality to believe, as life itself is a serious matter – otherwise, why would we be here?), kindness, adoption, and other themes are throughout the book in a wonderful tapestry of words.