Excited to read Emily Rapp Black’s new book titled Sanctuary, I pre-ordered it. I imagined curling up by the fire on a snowy day, lost in beautiful prose, temporarily removed from life. Instead, I felt triggered and irritated. I got to the third chapter and decided I’d read no more. Life is too short for many things, including finishing a book I don’t enjoy reading. So, what happened? Should I have honored my feelings or powered through?
Black’s book is about the dark stuff in her life (her infant dying, divorce, etc.) and resilience, and I wasn’t in the right space for that. I wanted sacred space not reminders of the tragedies I’ve experienced, and watched those close to me go through. I thought hard about why I wasn’t happy with this impressively well-written book that was highly recommended. One reason might be that I just read Life is in the Transitions by Bruce Feiler, a book chock-full of tragic stories, albeit also heroism and resiliency. It occurs to me now that maybe reading these two books in a row is too much tragedy for one reader, at least for this reader.
In Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway wrote, “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” As a coach, I help people be strong in their broken (and not broken) places, but that doesn’t mean I want to read one book after the next about suffering even if I am curled up by the fire.
I’m back to reading Reese Witherspoon’s book club recommendation of Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell’Antonia.
Coach Robyn 