Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith | Themes

Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith Themes

Coming of Age

Anne begins describing her life from the time of her childhood. She talks of her need to please her father with her choices and how that need was the reason for her outward reaction to religion. However, she says she always prayed, even as a child when she did not know what or whom she was praying to. As she ages, she comes to accept religion as a part of her life. She outgrows the need to follow what her parents want and to come to a place where she decides an affiliation with a church is important to her. She says she finds support—financial and emotional—in that body of believers.

Another aspect of this theme is how Anne feels a horrible loss when her father dies. Anne talks only briefly of the illness leading up to his death. Based on this, it seems apparent this subject is too...
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