Book Twenty

9/20/2008 – Guests of My Life by Elizabeth Watson***
Why: Mary Kassera from Stillwater Book Club presented this book to me at our August book club at Water Inn. I gave her a hug afterwards which I think made her uncomfortable. It was a thoughtful thing to do. They understood so well the pain I was going through and the book was a salve for me in August.
Emotions Felt: Mostly understanding. The book made grief feel like a normal emotion and a courageous journey that continues on. From Dickinson’s raw grief to Whitman’s realization that life is constant and evolves, I understood that my feelings all were part of the experience and that the tears would dry up eventually
Remaining Questions: I hated to finish the book because I felt then that the teachings would stop. It’s a funny thing grief. You want it to stop but the stopping means everything will be different and you don’t want anything at all to be different from the life you once knew. I wonder if I will pick this book up at a later time and what it will mean to me then.
Favorite Quotes: “Even death, like the nettle, loses its sting when grasped with courage.” “When we accept the unacceptable, it has no more power over us. We can move through and beyond the experience.” I like this quote a lot because I truly feel Mom’s death is unacceptable and yet something I have to accept. Such a paradox.
Who Would Like This Book: Erica, I think.