Wave

Sonali is an economist and memoirist living in London and originally from Colombo, Sri Lanka.  While on holiday with her husband, Steve, and their two sons, Vik and Malli, in December 2004 a Tsunami hit their hotel. Sonali lost everyone she loved in the Tsunami, including her parents who still lived in Sri Lanka.

The memoir begins on the morning of December 26, just before the Tsunami hit. Sonali details the experience of seeing the wave and running from it, desperate to escape and keep her sons safe. We read about her ordeal after the Tsunami has receded back into the sea from being rescued by local park rangers to staying with her family in Colombo as they search for her family; dead or alive. Sonali dives into a deep depression following the traumatic experience and fights flashbacks of her ‘previous life.’ She turns to alcohol and drugs to cope with the pain and even thinks of committing suicide. As each anniversary of the Tsunami and Sonali’s loss passes, we see her begin to slowly heal and how her life has changed from 2004 to 2012.

It’s a difficult story to read, to say the least. I found myself crying nearly the entire time as I read Sonali’s story. Although sad and haunting, Sonali reminds us that life is precious and you never know when it will be the last Sunday morning with your family and to take every moment in. It teaches a powerful lesson about living each day like it’s your last, because you never know what could happen, even on a seemingly ordinary day.

I recommend this book with a grain of salt. Yes, it’s important to read the real stories of such events and to remind you about how precious life is. However, if you’re in a dark place from suffering a loss recently or for any other reason that causes you to suffer from depression; don’t read this yet. Wait until you have healed. This book can be dark and its hard to see the light at times, for your mental health, this book is best not to be read. I know I should not have read this in the state I’ve been in the past couple of months with my own depression and anxiety.