Introduction

Treha Langsam is a mysterious young woman who has fallen through the cracks, much like many of the elderly people she works with at Desert Gardens Retirement Home. But Miriam Howard, director of the facility, sees her extraordinary gift and untapped potential. Treha is a whisperer of sorts, calling those who have slipped into dementia back to a life of vibrant, if only temporary, clarity.

When Treha’s and Miriam’s stories intertwine with a documentary team looking for stories of the elderly, Treha’s gift is uncovered, and the search begins for answers to the mysteries of her past. As their paths converge, each person is forced to face the same difficult question: What if this is as good as my life gets?

An uplifting, human tale of an ordinary woman with an extraordinary gift.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Ardeth Williams was eighty-nine and her eyes were glassy and clouded. She stared straight ahead with a slight head tilt as her daughter and son-in-law wheeled her past open doors at Desert Gardens of Tucson, Arizona. The companion building, Desert Gardens Retirement Home, was a fully staffed facility featuring its own golf course, a spa, exercise rooms, and several pools. But this Desert Gardens offered assisted living and hospice, a nursing home with frills. It was billed on the brochure as a complete end-of-life facility located in the comfort of an upscale desert community. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Every Waking Mo ment begins with a vivid scene between Treha and her mo ther—a scene we later learn Treha has “borrowed.” Why do yo u think she takes o ther peo ple’s sto ries as her own? Have yo u ever been tempted to change your story or to live vicariously through the stories of others?


2. When characters first encounter Treha, they’re often uncomfortable or even disturbed. What was your impression of Treha early in the story? Did your perspective change as yo u got to know her?


3. Devin frequently runs into tension between follo wing his creative vision and trying to make a living. Do yo u identify more with Devin in his artistic idealism or with those like Charlie, Jeffrey Whitman at the bank, and even Jo nah who
encourage him to think mo re realistically? Can a balance be struck between creativity and practicality?


4. Ho w did yo u react to Treha’s gift for calling people back to awareness and mental clarity? Do yo u think such awakenings are possible? Miriam tells Treha, “I think what yo u offer is safety. . . . Yo u listen. You validate.” What do es this
story suggest about the value of listening? Are there aspects of Treha’s gift you could apply?

5. Miriam approaches her retirement with sadness and anxiety about this new chapter in her life. Have yo u ever had to face a change that wasn’t your choice? Ho w do yo u respond to new phases in your life? With dread? Fear? Excitement?


6 . Why do yo u think Dr. Crenshaw searched for Treha? Do you agree with the way he approached helping her? What eventually changed his mind about telling her the truth? If Devin could have had one mo re interview, what do you
think Dr. Crenshaw would have said?


7. Early in the story, Miriam expresses her regret that she and Charlie never had children. Ho w do yo u think this influences her desire to help Treha? Does Miriam find what she’s looking for in their relationship?


8 . Do yo u think Treha was right to stand her ground against the three men in the Laundromat? Why wasn’t she afraid o f them? If yo u were a bystander in that scene, what would you have done?


9 . Elsie says that “[Go d] lets us go through deeper waters so that we cling to him; that’s the whole point of having faith. If we could handle everything, there would be no reason for us to need God.” Do you agree or disagree? Has there been a time in your own life when it felt as tho ugh Go d was giving you more than you could handle? If so , what was the result?

10 . What was your reaction to Miriam’s attitude about Charlie and their marriage? At one point, she confesses that “it is hard to see the good in a person when all yo u can see is what isn’t there.” Have yo u experienced this yourself?

11. In the search for Treha’s story, we meet people like Vivian Hansen and Kara Praytor, who each played a brief role in Treha’s past but co ntinued to care and pray for her even once she was go ne fro m their lives. Lo o king back, can you
think of similar people God placed along your path? Or are there people from your past you still wonder about and pray for, even if they’re long out of your life?

12. Devin believes that “a good film draws you in because it feels like life.” Do you agree? Would Devin’s documentary appeal to you? Why or why no t?

13. When Du’Relle tells Miriam abo ut his father’s death, she wonders, “Was it enough to listen? Was there a response required?” What do you think is the answer to those questions? If you’ve been in a situation similar to Du’Relle
and his mother, what acts of kindness did you find to be particularly helpful?


14. What did yo u think of Treha’s decision to confront Ezra Hollingsworth, the Phutura vice president? Was justice served in the Phutura case? If not, what do you think wo uld’ve been a better outcome?

15. We don’t know much about Jillian Millstone before she came to Desert Gardens. What life events do you think might have precipitated her arrival and caused her to manage things the way she did? Were any of her criticisms of Miriam’s management valid? What do you imagine Millstone went on to do after leaving?

16 . This story shows several perspectives on how the elderly are treated in today’s society. How do you feel about facilities like Desert Gardens? Do you think Devin’s vision to preserve the stories of previous generations is an important one? How else could society better value the elderly?


17. By the end of the story we learn the truth about Treha’s biological mother. If for some reason you had to give a child up, what requests would you make of his or her adoptive parents? Would you want to sever contact forever or be
open to the possibility of meeting your child so metime in the future? Why?


18 . Both Treha and Miriam contemplate whether they’re content with their lives as they are or if they want so mething more. What does each wo man ultimately decide? How do you see other characters in Every Waking Moment asking similar questions? Look back at Chaplain Calhoun’s description of
contentment on pages 80 –81. Can you look at your own life and say, “If this is as good as it gets, I’m okay with that”? Do you see this as giving up on life or embracing it?

Weblinks

»	Author Chris Fabry's web site
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»	Publisher's Book Info

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