Title: Built for the Storm
Author: Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami
Publisher: S W Advantage Resources
Year of Publication: 2021
Number of Pages: 224
Category: Memoir
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path,” says Paulo Coelho. Bridget Oyefeso Odusami’s memoir, Built for the Storm, is silent on whether storms will clear your path, remove all of your pain, misery, and stress. However, after reading her book and digesting her unadulterated, unsentimental, and personal experiences, you’ll learn a lot about unconditional love and perspective.
In four words, the title captures the essence of the memoir: it examines marriage, friendship, family, and life in both good and bad times. Bridget Oyefeso Odusami transports us to a time in her life when her husband fell ill unexpectedly and she was unprepared for the difficulties that ensued.
She was a lover and a partner one day and a nurse the next. This book chronicles Bridget Oyefeso Odusami’s attempt to make sense of months, then years, of uncertainty and despair.
She and her husband’s hoped-for future vanished in an instant. Odusami accepts her responsibility admirably; she devotes her entire energy to caring for her husband, and the reader may sympathize with her at times. Built for the Storm, on the other hand, is full of optimism as opposed to sadness or bitterness.
This caregiver’s voice is emotional in this book, and she explains her journey in great detail, telling us a lot about how she felt as she navigated life day by day and step by step, making readers sigh and sometimes smile. This woman’s soul is stretched across these pages with an undeniable sense of determination and urgency, but she never forgets to be grateful for what she has.
“We don’t know if he’ll ever be okay,” the author recalls hearing, as well as “It’s a one percent chance of survival.” This book’s irony is that you already know how it will end. However, it shatters your heart as you’re reading it.
Communication becomes difficult. The relationship becomes one-sided, with her partner feeling guilty and her feeling exploited. You sympathize with her husband, but you are also concerned about Odusami, who bears the brunt of their emotional and financial burdens. And the reader is not kept in the dark about any of this.
Her friends stand out but are perplexed, and family members are devoted. The author emphasizes the value of family, friends, and support. Throughout her journey, she meets many people who demonstrate the value of love, faith, and hope.
The author has written an uplifting book about how it’s difficult to keep many areas of your life together when you’re drowning in sadness, as well as advice for navigating your journey and not feeling ashamed of what you’re going through.
Readers who have chronically ill spouses may find this book reassuring, while those who do not may find it intriguing and informative.
For anyone who enjoys memoirs that delve into the depths of human existence at its most extremes, Bridget Oyefeso Odusami’s memoir Built for the Storm is a must-read.
About the reviewer
Titilade Oyemade is a business executive in a leading organisation and holds a degree in Russian Language. She’s the convener of the Hangoutwithtee Ladies Event and the publisher of Hangoutwithtee magazine. She spends her weekends attending women conferences, events and book readings. She loves to have fun and to help other women have the same in their lives. Email: [email protected] Social: @tiipree
