October Books Recap

In October I learned that if there is a virus airborne within a few miles of me, my body will find it and throw it a big Welcome Home party. I really can’t even believe how much sickness was in my house this past month:  strep throat, colds, coughs. No legit flu, thankfully, but, yowza, we were all down for the count. (Is this how it is for all families when kids go back to school?) Now I’m just thankful that we are on the mend. Well, I’m still an incubator of gross, in all honesty, but I finally started antibiotics, so hopefully I’ll heal soon. Health is everything. Sickness really sucks.

As it all finally passes, it leaves me feeling grateful to be alive, to be married, to be a mother, to feel love. I felt somewhat dumb after I posted that “confession” last month. It’s not that big of a deal, but the post was kind of whiney. And long. And maybe too personal. I’ve thought about taking it down many times but obviously haven’t–mostly because writing that post triggered a little wave of gratitude in my life. Like I let it out, let it go, and now I am better able to see the good stuff.

After that post, I happened to watch The Revenant. Then Cast Away. And then I read Lucky Boy. They’re all pretty much worst-case scenario situations, so the stories ended up making me reflect on my life and how much I have to be thankful for. My family, my husband. Do you know that I’ve been married for over ten years? We’ve had our ups and downs, but I’d take a bullet for that man, and I know without a doubt that he would do the same for me. We’ve loved each other imperfectly, yes, but we share a devotion to and acceptance of each other that not everyone experiences. And how about my kids? I birthed them and I adore them and they surprise me and make me laugh every day. How about living in a house that is ours (for the first time ever)? How about electricity, hot water, and indoor toilets? How about office supply stores? How about the guy driving behind me yesterday morning who didn’t honk even though I was looking at my stupid phone and didn’t realize traffic had started moving again? To live is to struggle, but sometimes the universe gives a little tenderness, you know? I feel that tenderness lately. And it’s good.

Anyway, back to, you know, books… I read six in October:  Passage Meditation, Navigating Life, All That Man Is, The New Bohemians, Lucky Boy, and Crafting with Feminism. Amazingly, I really enjoyed all of them…except for All That Man Is. That one is a pooper–Man Booker Prize Finalist or not.

I’ve got some good books coming up this month, too, including Cruising Through Caregiving, Born a Crime (the autobiography from Trevor Noah, the new host of The Daily Show), Survivor’s Guide to Family Happiness, and Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk. I’m excited for this lineup. I think I’m in for some good storytelling.

That’s all for now. Well, one last thing:  I want to say thank you to anyone who reads this blog. I’m coming up on my two-year anniversary, and your continued willingness to read my random thoughts and reviews means something to me. I appreciate it. ♥