Farmer and Betty Meadows narrate their triumphant journey to success in the release of Nearly Perfect: An American Success Story, as told to Cindy Day. Farmer and Betty Meadows epitomize the American dream: to emerge from modest means and achieve victory as millionaires. “I had never dreamed we would celebrate our Golden Anniversary with a net worth of seventy-two million dollars,” says Farmer Meadows as he establishes the tone and depicts a story of a nearly perfect life.
A memoir highlights an American family’s determination to prevail over daily challenges and personifies the resilience of the human spirit. Farmer and Betty Meadows fell in love as children, became high school sweethearts, and eventually married. Raised in a coal-mining atmosphere in West Virginia, Farmer and Betty were engrained with a strong work ethic at a young age that serves as a catalyst for success. The Meadows are proud owners of Meadows Farm Nurseries in the Washington D.C. area, which helped propel their wealth.
As the reader ventures through pivotal points in the Meadows’ life, preservation as a family structure becomes a necessity for survival. In the chapter “The Longest Night”, Betty’s words come alive as she grieves the loss of her daughter, Cindy, and touches a chord of heartfelt affection. Nearly Perfect is an enduring tale of love between man and woman, married for fifty years, with a predominant message of hope and inspiration.
Nearly Perfect gains momentum with each genuine account presented, and profound life lessons are woven throughout the book. The undertone is that hard work pays off. The good and bad times are narrated: struggles and celebrations of a true American family, similar to many families, with moments of extreme disappointment and intense jubilation. The reader can’t help but step into the shoes of Betty and Farmer, who personify the term “refusal to give up.” Even though the soles of their shoes were worn by circumstances in life at times, Farmer and Betty pressed ahead.
The title, “Nearly Perfect,” exemplifies that a person can strive for a perfect life, but that through imperfection, an individual learns to appreciate the good times. “I came to learn that nearly perfect was much more than a state of health. It is a philosophy, a lifestyle, a passion, and an outlook,” as stated by Cindy Day, who helped author the book. Farmer, as a result of experience as a coach and teacher, obtained leadership qualities that translated to business philosophies, deemed as “Farmer’s Ways,” guiding practices on how to treat employees and customers.
What makes this book unique? Humility and a sense of honesty portrayed through the anecdote of the Meadows family. A desire to be the best at whatever you do in life invokes thought-provoking moments in the book. Nearly Perfect: An American Success Story is a praiseworthy read.