You Have To Leave If You Want To Come Back (Paperback)

Tom Brand

ISBN 13: 9798998704635

Published by Richardson & Company Press, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. You Have To Leave If You Want To Come BackBy Tom BrandSome lessons only make sense after you've had a little distance from them.In You Have To Leave If You Want To Come Back, Tom Brand reflects on the people, places, and experiences that reveal their true meaning over time. Through a collection of warm, thoughtful, and often humorous essays, he revisits gravel roads, family traditions, church pews, county fairs, friendships, and everyday moments that quietly shaped the course of a life.Drawing on memories from rural Missouri and lessons learned along the way, Brand explores themes of faith, family, community, gratitude, loss, and perspective. Whether recalling childhood adventures, influential mentors, or moments that changed everything, each story invites readers to look beyond the surface and discover the significance hidden within ordinary days.Written with warmth, authenticity, and a storyteller's eye for detail, You Have To Leave If You Want To Come Back is a reminder that some of life's most important truths become clearer only after time has passed-and that sometimes we must leave before we truly understand what it means to come back.Perfect for readers who enjoy reflective memoir, inspirational essays, small-town stories, and books that celebrate faith, family, and the enduring connections that shape our lives. Reflective essays on faith, family, friendship, and finding perspective. Tom Brand explores the people, places, and moments that shape who we become. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9798998704635

Bibliographic Details

• Title: You Have To Leave If You Want To Come Back (Paperback)
• Publisher: Richardson & Company Press
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798998704635
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

You have to leave if you want to come back.

It was a simple phrase Tom Brand's father often used when grandchildren were reluctant to head home after a visit. Over time, Brand came to realize those words held a deeper truth: sometimes distance gives us the perspective to understand what mattered all along.

In this collection of stories and reflections, Brand returns to the gravel roads, hay fields, small-town traditions, family gatherings, and unforgettable characters that shaped his life in rural Northwest Missouri. Along the way, readers will meet a stubborn horse named Toby, ride the Current River with a favorite teacher, sell FFA fruit door-to-door, put up hay in the summer heat, travel from a farm near Hopkins to the White House, and discover lessons hidden inside ordinary moments.

Filled with humor, faith, nostalgia, and heartfelt reflection, You Have to Leave If You Want to Come Back explores the people, places, and experiences that stay with us long after we leave them behind. Through stories of family, work, friendship, loss, and hope, Brand reminds us that some of life's greatest treasures are often found when we look back.

Whether you grew up on a farm, in a small town, or simply cherish the memories that helped shape who you are, these stories will feel like a visit with an old friend—one who invites you to sit down, stay awhile, and remember the moments that still matter.

From the author of Welts On Your Butt a Calf Could Suck comes a warm and memorable collection celebrating faith, family, community, and the enduring power of home.