Remembering Your Goodness

Happy day, IC friends, I’m currently reading a book entitled, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.” Perhaps you’ve read it? It was voted one of the ten best books of the year, and so I couldn’t resist (besides the intriguing title). This morning I read a line that stuck. A character by the name of Eben Ramsey wrote a letter reflecting on the time of German occupation, “We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us.” I pondered if the “they” were friends, books or both. We’ve all known people who have nurtured and reminded us of our best parts and forgave our not-so-best parts. Books can do a very similar service but in the guise of characters or human insights shared. I got to thinking how I’ve befriended many a book (what can I say, it’s a Saturday and I’m feeling whimsical). As a kid, Harriet the Spy was one of my best loved characters. The curious and intensely honest girl filled notebook after notebook with life’s observations. Uh, wow, does that sound familiar! A similar inspiring favorite was Harry Potter (is there something to the name?). Most recently, I’d vote “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett as a most exquisite read.

My closest befriending of a book was with "Child of God", the story I wrote about Joan of Arc. It was a seven year project involving travel to France, pouring over trial transcripts and then creating a first person account of Joan's life and visions with what she referred to as, “the Voice.” I published "Child of God: The Humble Beginnings of Joan of Arc" in Kindle electronic format. In this day and age, you can befriend a book in a few seconds!

Eben Ramsey’s wise words, “…they reminded us that we had another part to us,” sum up perfectly what great books and good friends do—connects us to a deeper part of ourselves in spite of situations that counter otherwise. OK, TTFN, gotta go write in my notebook!