I am a voracious reader and every week I come across either a book, online piece or website I want to share with others. I’ve decided to curate these gems and highlight them on Friday. I hope you find these faves as insightful as I do.
- Perseverance counts. Have you heard about the 54-year-old custodian who graduated from the college he cleaned at night? Read his phenomenal story in the Washington Post.
- An interesting proposition – What do you think about hosting a silent reading party in your home? Here are tips from Book Riot to pull off this out-of-the-box idea to read with family or friends in your home.
- “My life, until now, has been one long surrender. That isn’t good for me, for my children, my family, my friends. I have been only half alive. The only way to be truly present, I am learning, is first to be truly present to myself. To experience my wildness fully. To reintroduce risk and biodiversity. To ask question like the researchers. To not know. To risk the wolves, the fire, the sea stars. To be willing to evolve or die.” Many truths in this essay, “Evolve or Die,” by Bernadette Murphy in The Rumpus.
- I am still contemplating the message in Aeon’s “Why Watching People Take Selfies Feels So Awkward,” by Emmanuel Ordóñez Angulo. This point is worthy of reflection: “Whether life should be seen as a narrative or not, living is about choosing what to present and what to keep to oneself. We must navigate between the two.”
What were your favorite reads this week?
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
Oh! I hadn’t seen that Aeon piece. Clicking over now! Have a wonderful weekend! :)
I love the pieces in Aeon. So insightful on a variety of subjects. Hope you enjoy this post as much as I did.
I would love a room full of my friends who promised to read and not talk to me!
Sounds like an interesting idea, but I wonder if I might be tempted to talk (at least once or twice!)
I read the custodian/college grad story earlier this week…it is one inspiring story!
A perfect reminder to never quit. Especially on the hard days.
I’ve been wanting to host a silent retreat. Period. For 3-4 days. Organized. With intention. I’ve been wanting to attend one too. So a silent reading night would be a good start. Best read for me this week? The Yoga of Eating. Loving it. So much wisdom.
Barb,
I’d love to participate in a silent retreat. I think it would be a energizing and reflective experience for me. One day I hope. . .
I will have to check out The Yoga of Eating. Sounds like wonderful read.
That one about the selfies is so interesting! And same with the silent reading. I have trouble with.. keeping quiet, though! I get the giggles.
You wouldn’t be alone! I think I might have to say a word to two, here and there.
A room full of friends reading sounds delightful !
Yes! An interesting “party” concept.
Oh, all of these look great! Off to click through now, after catching up on your blog posts :)
Hope these selections resonate with you, Dana. Thanks for spending your Saturday with my blog. xo
A silent reading party sounds like such an interesting idea! Reading in the company of friends without having to talk? Heaven!
It’s a wonderful idea. I’d love to hear participant’s thoughts after their silent reading party.
Thanks for the interesting ideas from the reading, Rudri. I really don’t like the idea of a silent reading get-together. When I am with people I want to present with them. We are shut off from each other enough today with computer work at home and iPhones everywhere we go. I wonder what others think of it.