Everyone is talking about the Miracle on the Hudson -- the miraculous emergency airplane landing in the Hudson River. A string of ordinary events coincided to produce an extraordinary one. Canada geese flying in the New York City area, a plane en route to North Carolina on a routine flight. Their paths clashed, and other coincidences resulted in an astounding recovery mission instead of a tragedy -- an extremely experienced pilot made a brave decision, ferry and rescue boats arrived within minutes to assist the downed plane. Just like that, an event occurred that changed forever the lives of all involved.

I was struck by the similarities between this event and the series of events that happen in the 6th chapter, "A Different Road."

Olive and Henry have dinner with friends and stop at a hospital on the way home so Olive can use the bathroom. This seemingly innocuous occurrence leads to a life-altering event, one that could have ended in tragedy # and came close to it. A slight shifting of events could have altered things in an entirely different direction. I certainly have had these incredible coincidences in my life and I imagine, many other folks have too.

If the plane crash hadn't occurred this week, I would have picked the power of words as the major theme in this story. "You may be my grandmother, but that doesn't mean I have to love you, you know." These spiteful and hurtful words open and end the chapter, uttered by the Kitteridges' friend Bunny as she tells about her granddaughter. The hurtful words spoken between Olive and Henry while they were hostages changed their feelings toward each other forever. Henry was almost shot because of the words he spoke to the hostage-taker. And perhaps the unspoken words are just as important here. When Henry told Olive "I don't believe you've ever once apologized for anything" it seemed to crack Olive's tough veneer but she didn't give him the words he needed.

I was also struck by a third idea in this chapter, and that was the love Olive expressed for her hostage-taker. How could she feel this way toward such an unlovable character?! This bizarre attraction between hostage and hostage-taker was also a theme in Ann Patchett's incredible novel Bel Canto. I find it contrary to all rational thought.

I am still pondering the significance of the chapter's title. Olive tells us "Different road, and you had to get used to that." I'm not so sure. What do my fellow readers have to say about this chapter?

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