Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the US, became despondent when Hilary Clinton lost to Donald Trump in the Presidential election. She had difficulty accepting that a man whom she felt was not suitable to hold the highest office in the United States was now President. When the pandemic hit and Americans were dying in their thousands, she feared for the future, not only of her country but also the world.

She felt despair, a feeling of helplessness and self-doubt. There was no way out and nothing could stop the world sliding down the slippery slope to dystopia. She was at her lowest ebb. The ‘light’ within her dimmed. The light we carry is our confidence, our wellbeing, our commonsense wisdom, our ability to stay hopeful and balanced in our thoughts and actions.

With the help of trusted friends and her resilience, which she built up over many challenging years, she was able to put together strategies that eventually pulled her out of this anxiety that bordered on depression.

The first thing she did was take up knitting. This meant she had to sit quietly, concentrating on what her hands were doing. This calmed her … and it produced garments for the children and her husband.

In The Light We Carry those strategies are set out for all to use. We need to be strong, confident and resourceful in these uncertain times. The problems of the world are left to be solved another day. ‘Start small’ is her mantra.

Reviewed by Clive Hodges