Well, we spent another week close to home because of COVID. We watched some Netflix, read some books and baked some cake. This week, I’ve got two books to share: one incredibly intriguing adult realistic fiction and one middle grade compilation of insightful essays about hope. I’ve got a pretty nifty journal prompt and some great links to share, too. 

What I'm Reading:

This week, the two books I read were drastically different. Once was an adult realistic fiction book that perfectly captured my SONDER theme of the month. The other was a collection of essays written by popular children’s authors that captured personal stories of hope. I highly recommend both. 

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

This book made me work. But in a good way, of course. Strout introduces readers to thirteen different characters and their rich, unique stories, chapter by chapter. The common tie that binds them together? Olive Kitteridge, a formidable woman with a big personality. Throughout the book, we learn about each of the thirteen characters living in Olive’s town and their own secret struggles and challenges, struggles that many readers can relate to. But we also see how Olive is connected to each of them. In some cases, the connection is small and in others, it’s much larger. But as each chapter passes, we not only gain a better understanding of the townspeople themselves, but of Olive, too. These insights are touching, emotional and in some cases, hard to handle, but they are there for us to learn from all the same. I can’t wait to start the second book: Olive, Again. 

Hope Wins, edited by Dr.Rose Brock

This book was exactly what my middle grade reading heart needed: a collection of hopeful and inspiring stories from my favorite authors: Karina Yan Glaser, Veera Hiranandani, Gordon Korman and Pam Muñoz Ryan, just to name a few. Each author told a story of hope from a time in their own lives from learning life lessons in a restaurant, deciding what it meant to be a ‘cool kid’ and learning book publishing lessons in the seventh grade. Every middle school reader needs to read this book. No, wait. EVERY reader needs to read this book as my adult heart desperately needs these messages of hope, too. It’s the perfect book for anytime reading, but it’s especially perfect for coming-out-of-a-pandemic reading. 

What I'm Writing:

Have you heard of mortality motivation? I hadn’t until I listened to another episode of The Rachel Hollis podcast. Oh, oh, oh was it powerful. 

The idea is simple: we often become motivated when confronted with our own mortality. Whether we experienced a near-death experience, are walking alongside someone during a difficult health situation or are simply contemplating how much time we have left, one thing is for certain: we’d likely live our lives differently if we knew we only had three years left. 

Three years left.

What would you do with that time? That’s what filled the pages of my notebook. And when I was done, I had a lot written, but the ideas were pretty simple: I’d spent more time with family, better enjoy each day as a gift and leave a legacy behind for my loved ones to hold onto later.

It was sad. It was inspiring. It was real. And I recommend you write about this, too. 

What I'm Learning:

This week, Mari Andrew taught me that humans have seasons, just like the Earth does. She first read about the concept in Thomas Moore’s book, Care of the Soul, a book now on my TBR stack.

Here’s the idea: Our life progresses in natural stages, in twists and turns and in seasons of growth. Each season brings a new experience, a way of living and a bunch of emotions, too. Here are the seasons summarized according to Mari Andrew:

Winter:

  • Symptoms: taking long walks while feeling sorry for yourself, wondering if your best years are behind you, feeling unmotivated to make changes, general bumbling and flailing, a strong desire to live in a candlelit bathtub
  • Danger: falling too deep into despair or self-judgment
  • Opportunity: hibernation and self-reflection
  • Element: Earth (nurture, focus, slowness)

Spring:

  • Symptoms: electric impulses, seeking novelty, a pleasant reassuring confidence, feeling alternately like you’re going to be crushed in your bed by the weight of your own insignificance and like you’re literally going to burst from excitement and maybe become a shooting star or a comet
  • Danger: holding back for fear of the unknown
  • Opportunity: the marvel of discovery
  • Element: Air (idealism, creativity, increase)

Summer:

  • Symptoms: able to summon superhuman energy, experimenting with a new style, intense curiosity, actually resonating with Beyonce lyrics
  • Danger: swelling of the ego
  • Opportunity: self-expression
  • Element: Fire (intensity, power, beauty)

Fall:

  • Symptoms: dwelling in an in-between place, overwhelmed by nostalgia, expanded imagination, wondering for hours how other people manage to seem so well-adjusted and carefree, considering moving to a cabin in the mountains
  • Danger: lapsing into self-pity, self-centeredness
  • Opportunity: heightened sensitivity
  • Element: Water (fluidity, flexibility, release)

These made me smile, made me think and gave me comfort in knowing some hard seasons are just that: seasons. They’ll pass and we’ll move onto the next one. 

What I'm Loving:

I absolutely positively, unquestionably need this chair. You do, too. Next up? Convince my father he really, really wants to make it for me. =)

I found another notebook shop! These lay-flat notebooks come in many designs. I think I’ll start with the lilac notebook with blank pages!

Since we are wrapping up poetry month, I thought I’d share these 37 recommendations from She Reads. 

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?