Books, Books, & More Books
We thought it wasn’t a long shot
We hoped it was a sure thing
Today, we’re reeling
Silently going about our business
But reeling nonetheless
✨
It was easy to stay optimistic
When everything felt possible
When change was just around the corner
Easy to offer friendship to the other side
When we thought we would surely win
Not so easy now
Not so easy at all
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Right now we’re grieving
A landslide telling a story of our country we don’t want to live
Now there’s fear, anger, hurt, disgust, worry, dread
Hanging low, dark, heavy as storm clouds on our hearts
Where hope felt bright just a few days ago
Now we feel the loss
Lost
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Some of us want to run away
And run we very well might
Don’t hate us if we do
We’ll be back
Or might be, at least
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Some of us are determined to stay
Hoping it won’t be as dark as we think
Hoping that if it is, we can be bright stars
Some of us know no other way
Have no other choice
We must stay
✨
All of us feel unsure
What this means for our kids and their kids
For everyone who’s marginalized
For the next four years and beyond
What this means about our country, for our country
What this means for our planet
Unsure what it all means anymore
Fragile
✨
We’re looking for a way forward
Looking for the good
Looking for a way to let go of “us” and “them”
Looking for hope again
✨
We’re not willing to let go of what’s important to us
We won’t let go of that for ourselves
We won’t stop believing it’s possible for our country
No matter what
✨
What we are willing to do is keep living
Keep hoping
Keep loving
Keep going
Keep changing
Keep growing
Keep looking for the good
Keep making as much good as we can wherever we are
✨
For me, I’m finding good in nature
In sunsets, sunrises, starry skies, a loon’s cry
I’m finding good in travel
In experiencing places and things I’ve never seen before
I’m finding good in people
In extra hugs, another coffee chat, funny stories with friends
I’m finding good in books
Always
Books, books, and more books
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And I know we’ll keep going
✨
This little poem started coming to me on Wednesday night and didn’t stop until I got it all down this morning. It has helped my heart mend more than I can say. If you read the entire poem and you’re still reading this message, thank you. I realize it’s not what we usually talk about here, but for anyone also hurting this week, I hope it offered some form of comfort.
I hope it made you want to write your own poem.
For those not hurting right now, I hope it helps you understand how some of the rest of us are feeling, at least a little. I know from your response emails in recent weeks there are heaps of people here on both sides of what’s been going on in the US and plenty of people who aren’t in the US at all. If you’ve been in this space with me for a while, you know we usually talk about books here & for a good reason — reading good books as adults is really fun and the words go down deep, they change us, they help us grow in more ways than we can even imagine.
We’ll be back to books next Friday, I promise. I just needed to get this off my chest first, and I felt like this was the right space to do that.
💛
In looking for personal inspiration this week, I found one of the first book-centered blogs I ever wrote — a post from back in the day when my blog was mostly centered around family togetherness and travel — On the Reading Porch: A Book List for Mamas Who Read. If you’re looking for a good book and it’s been a while since you’ve read that post, I hope you love it.
I also found a few words ringing truer for me than ever before — a quote I shared a few months ago in my If You Could Live Anywhere post (because yes, I’m one of those who wants to run away to far-flung places right now, I can’t help it) ⤵
“Both reading and travel are often seen as forms of escapism...
I prefer, however, to think of them as complementary forms of exploration.
Thee world is full of wonders that both reading and travel encourage us to discover by venturing outside the confines of our daily routines...”
~Nicole Blansett Denson, Oh Reader Issue 016
So, my darling, all of that to say I’m here, whatever you’re feeling right now you’re not alone, and we have so many good books to talk about in this space in the coming weeks.
After all, it’s new book season!
I’m actually headed to the bookshop for a little new-book therapy right after I send this email. (Don’t tell my husband or my accountant, please 🤓)
Until next Friday.
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