Have you ever read a book and felt like it was written just for you? I love reading memoirs. It's like getting a chance to climb into someone else's life for a moment. As I reflect on books that have touched me and stayed with me, many of them are memoirs.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh's Gift from the Sea
Martha Beck's Expecting Adam
Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies and Grace Eventually and Bird by Bird...
Flannery O'Connor's Prayer Journal
Regina Brett's God Never Blinks
Dani Shapiro's Still Writing
The newest book that I'm adding to this list is Carry On, Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed written by Glennon Doyle Melton.
The author writes the blog Momastery. My journey to this book is where this all begins. I'd seen many links to the blog Momastery on Facebook and Twitter for months and ignored all of them. Why would I read a blog called Momastery? I'm not a mom. Finally a post about teachers grabbed my attention and I clicked over. Enjoying what I read, I searched for more information on the blogger and I discovered she had written a book. (Now here's the embarrassing part. I'd downloaded the book months ago and totally forgotten.) I was in a "I can't find anything I LOVE" phase of reading, so I started Carry On, Warrior.
Oh my goodness! I found words worth highlighting on the FIRST PAGE! "I was born a little broken, with an extra dose of sensitivity. Growing up, I felt like I was missing a layer of protection I needed to expose myself to life's risks..." I could relate. I kept reading. I felt like I was sitting with a good friend late into the night sharing our stories.
The author is broken, authentic, funny, vulnerable, and wise. I have so many lines highlighted and I've taken so many notes, I can't count that high...and I'm not done yet. I can't bear to finish it. There are 72 pages left and I'm savoring each and every word. She writes about her life. Just that. It's her truth, but she does it in a way that makes me feel like it's my truth too!
Finding myself on the pages of a book is the true gift of reading! Finding myself on these pages is surprising. She is married. She mothers three children. But, I feel welcomed in her world, when I often feel left out or not wanted. That's the gift of this book. She tells her story. No judgement. No sweeping declarations. No solutions to the problems of life. It's simply her story told with love and humor and humility.
Oh, how I wish that someday I could have a conversation with Glennon Doyle Melton. Until then, I will continue the conversation in the pages of this lovely book.
I'd love to hear if you've read books that have touched you deeply. Share recommendations please!
When I first met Glennon, she was still Glennon Doyle. She was hired to teach 3rd graders at my school a year or two after I started there teaching fourth graders. She was a phenomenal teacher. She always looked perfect. I often told her she was exactly the kind of person I thought I would hate, but she was too fabulous. Her son, who turned 12 yesterday, was born 8 months before my oldest daughter. They went to the same babysitter for the first couple of years. I'm sad my oldest doesn't remember it. We'll have to chat about this book the next time we're together!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful story about a book that becomes a friend, not just an acquaintance! Dee Henderson's O'Malley series has been like that for me! I think this summer might be a time to reread the series again. I will need to include your recommendation on my to be checked list!
ReplyDelete