Beyond compassion. A world apart, yet my country, my citizens, my fellow humans. This book has erased more of my judgmental self, and given me a few molecules of humility.
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Beyond compassion. A world apart, yet my country, my citizens, my fellow humans. This book has erased more of my judgmental self, and given me a few molecules of humility.
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 Another to add to my best-ever list.
I identified with the good and the bad in each character; we all have both. Hope that with tragedy comes redemption. Compassion for the circumstances that form us.  I’ll keep thinking about this book. What happened? Did it really happen? Compassion for what we remember and what we forget; for ways we remember the good things, and, let go of those not-so-good moments. In the long run, we remain loyal because of what goes well. At death we may cling to loved ones, but then, we say goodbye with gratitude and journey on peacefully alone.  Compassion for nature, for nature lovers, for nature writers.  The next time the Conclave meets in Rome to choose a pope I’ll understand the process better. I’ll picture the cardinals politicking, conversing, eating, and praying together at St. Martha’s Residence, and then stepping into a van to drive them around the rear of St. Peter’s to the Sistine Chapel. I’ll have a visual for how the voting goes. I must say I enjoyed learning this through Harris’s novel, which also gave me compassion for the priests who have risen high enough up the Catholic hierarchy to work in the Vatican. How hard it must be to remain faithful and humble!  Compassion for immigrants. I think of my grandfather who immigrated from Scotland. I never knew him, but I heard stories of how brave he was to make it to Ellis Island and then to Brooklyn.  The Street Sweeper, by Elliott Perlman
This book is going to be on my list of top ten favorite books ever. A marvelously woven story of blacks and Jews struggling to be heard during the events of the twentieth century. I am humbled and my heart is open. Compassion for humanity.  Another (All the Light We Cannot See) engaging story set it World War II France. Compassion for everyone in war, and I mean everyone. We do the best we can, and carry on after the war is over; OR, we die. How much are we in charge of our lives? Why are some born to commit atrocities, while others live to defend themselves? Always more questions than answers.  Astrid and Veronika, by Linda Olsson
Best book I read this month. It renewed my love of living in solitude for extended periods of time. I was struck by the way both women listened allowing for spaces of silence. Friendships between the young and the old evolve without planning. I am reminded of A Walk on the Beach, Joan Anderson’s telling of her friendship with Joan Erikson. Compassion for friendships between generations. |
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