The Butterfly Effect How Your Life Matters by Andy Andrews

Have you ever heard of the Butterfly Effect? I saw part of a movie by that name. The main character kept going back in time and changing one little thing and when he got back to the present, things would be radically different. That is sorta what this book reminds me of. It is a small 109 page inspirational book that is quite moving. At least it struck a chord with me. It starts out with the story of a 34-year-old schoolteacher named Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. You may have heard of him. In 1863, he was the Colonel and leader of the 20th Maine at Gettysburg. It was his command to "Fix Bayonets and charge!" after they had repulsed 5 charges from the Rebel soldiers, caused him and his 80 men to fool the enemy and capture 800 men from the 14th and the 47th Alabama troops. Colonel Chamberlain knew that the Union Army would be defeated if he didn't stand his ground. Quite possibly the south would have won the battle and then the war. One man stood in the gap and helped the North win. Now that seems like a big thing to me, but the consequences of his one action helped win the war and keep the United States united. Can you imagine what would have happened in WWI and WWII if we had been divided and were not able to help conquer Hitler? The book is more than this story. Smaller actions are described later on, but I love this story! Colonel Chamberlain knew what he had to do and he did it! And he spurred others on to do what they had to do and we are still reaping the benefits! This book is worth the time to read it and more.