The Other Side of Perfect: A True Story of Love, Lies, and Learning to Forgive

The Other Side of Perfect by Venus Morris Griffin, is a memoir beginning with Venus’s early life growing up amongst instability and addiction & then following a marriage that on the outside looked perfect but behind closed doors was full of abuse, to manipulation, lies etc… A bombshell happens to where Venus’s husband is currently serving a 45-year sentence, thrusting Venus into single motherhood. It is her determination & faith in God, that she’s able to rise above the hand’s life dealt her.

 Important Messages

While I hate that anyone would suffer as much as Venus had, I love Venus’s determination to rise above the challenges life threw at her. Life can be tough, but we can choose to be tougher. I love how the memoir stresses what forgiveness is and isn’t. Forgiveness IS letting go of the negative emotions people have caused you and others you love, due to their actions.  What forgiveness ISN’T always reconciliation & it ISN’T excuses. So many people think forgiveness and reconciliation are mutually exclusive, and it isn’t. It’s why I dislike the saying, Forgive and Forget, especially since there’s no such saying in the Bible. I also love how important Venus’s Catholic faith is to her and since I’m Catholic too it makes me happy. I’m so happy that Venus is doing well with her real estate business and finding love again. Congratulations Venus! I wish you the best!