Who hasn’t wanted to run away? Even if you were just walking down the street from your parents’ house or just taking a long drive, we’ve all felt the urge. Sometimes the only solution is to go and figure out where you’re going later. Sometimes you just have to take the leap.

There are many things to be gleaned from the story of Alice By Heart, but the one that has resonated with me the most is the beautiful representation of the journey of grief. Amidst the troubling times of World War II, Alice seeks normalcy in the pages of a story. On the outside: a fine way to handle hardship and adversity. Perhaps when we look a little deeper: an avoidance tactic. Another fine way to handle hardship…for a little while.