Shakespeare wrote: “The web of our life is a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”

How wonderfully perceptive of the Bard of Avon to recognize the intricacies of this journey we call life. From birth, we are participants in chapters meticulously designed by Fate.

Jena C. Henry clearly understands that life is a journey of self-discovery. This is a core theme in her well-written, humorous and hopeful book The Golden Age of Charli: RSVP.

Charlotte Angstrom Eddy McAntic (Charli) is a woman who loves her husband Pud, their family and friends. She has invested her life maintaining order in her home and demonstrated care in fostering relationships. Gratitude is her mantra. Yet, Charli has been plagued by vivid and frightening nightmares that undermine her sense of well-being. These nightmares stand in stark contrast for a woman who, as Jena Henry writes, “aimed to be joyful.”

Charli is fearful that her newly retired husband Pud is drifting away as he becomes more and more seduced by a Siren’s call. In Pud’s case, though, his Siren isn’t some mythical temptress. Rather, it is the allure of golf.

Still, persistence is Charli’s foundation as she follows the Calvin Coolidge belief to “press on” despite the challenges that life presents. This notion of persistence serves Charli well.

Charli may have thought that after working so hard in their careers, retirement would have offered a better opportunity for she and Pud to grow closer. But Pud’s mind is occupied daily with his desire to golf. This obsession of her husband certainly didn’t factor into Charli’s image of retirement bliss. Golf is the interloper in Charli’s marriage, the external threat that insinuated itself upon her life and could unravel the yarn of her relationship with Pud.

Are there any expectations that we are required to meet as we cross the threshold of retirement? This book skillfully addresses the changes that we go through in our lives and our resiliency in adapting to these changes.

Jena Henry writes in the first person. This is, after all, Charli’s story. Charli is a relatable protagonist. Each chapter benefits from Henry’s remarkable writing style in crafting Charli. Charli is optimistic and non confrontational. But these traits aren’t signs of weakness. Charli’s strength is rooted in her “half full philosophy” because despite her concerns about how Pud’s golfing focus impacts her marriage, the reader knows that Charli believes in family above all else.

Operation RSVP (an idea that originated from Pud) affords Charli and Pud the vehicle for connecting with the younger members of their family.  The importance of family permeates throughout the book. What I found incredibly inspiring about this book is the ingenious way that Jena Henry links the past, present and future of Charli’s family.

The Golden Age of Charli: RSVP is a book with a universal appeal. Anyone who is undergoing a crossroads in his or her life will enjoy and certainly benefit from the positive messages this book offers.