THE DANCE OF INTIMACY

perhaps posting now is premature for my brain feels overloaded with the overwhelming pertinence of this book. wow. it is SO on point, so revealing, so convicting, so challenging, so validating - and that's putting it mildly.

where do i begin? ch. 3 entitled, selfhood: at what cost -

well, let me backtrack and mention a meaningful take-away from ch.2 - something intuitive, something i'd recognized but didn't apply effectively - "...appreciation for the inseparable nature of our strengths & weaknesses, they are woven from the same strands..." i'll try to avoid quoting b/c that's boring and lazy, but this is important for me b/c i've decided it's a truth that's worth remembering.

so, ch. 3 contains some points echoed by BM as it relates to my, shall i call it, self-discovery.

• give your unconscious some credit
• respect yourself and your evolution; you are your own best expert
• the introduction of my stress management technique of choice - the pages just scream it! if you know me at all, the pages'll scream at you, too.
  
• the relationship b/w selfhood & intimacy - see, my gut told me so, and it was validated by whats-her-face and of course, by BM; p. 35 offers a fantastic checklist - its simplicity sharply contrasting the difficulty of accomplishing a mere one of the goals

i think i'll cut out here for now. i'm in the midst of ch. 5 and it is heavy duty. plus w/the hormones up in flames right now, it's all i can do to keep from shedding fresh tears. i seriously had to put the book down a few times and urge my eyes out of focus - a valiant attempt to diminish the anxiety, if but temporarily (aka "distancing" - ha, don't get me started again.)

THE EFFECTS OF LIGHT

so i finished the effects of light. it did pick up halfway through. i began to appreciate the alternating narratives, and it was interesting how the author changed her writing style to represent the beyond-her-years wisdom of the little sister, as she got older. that was a nice device.

what began as a promising premise on the bookflap developed into a substantial plot with thought-provoking ideas. this author, only 1 year my senior, proved a thorough researcher with an insightful mind. i liked that she showcased art using science and philosophy (a personal bias, i admit). no surprise to find she's borne out of two academics.

i'm on this 'accountability' kick, so with this in mind, i aim to further ponder the controversy presented in this book - pitting christian teaching against (for lack of a better word) moral relativism. and it wouldn't be worth the exercise if i didn't end up with a stance, so i'll try to eke one out. art or pornography? more importantly, who's accountable? i was going to post a link to a site about the author being interviewed about her book and as i skimmed through it, began to glean more her background and her perspective re: this controversy. based upon this recent finding, i think her book is even more laudable because obviously, i wasn't aware after finishing it that she appears to have a stronger opinion than the book leads you to believe. i like her objectivity in this sense and in the same manner that her title change secured her more readers, i think this objective presentation of a delicate topic of debate could very well turn her readers into loyal fans. i am more motivated to revisit the work and proceed with the personal moral discourse artfully sparked by this story. i feel like giggling. i'm such a dork.

and btw, i decided not to post that link, hoping you'll read the book yourself first. how's that for idealism? ha.

i've begun the dance of intimacy and yes, it's a self-help book. a few key perspectives i recognize, made by the one who recommended the book to me. i'm highlighting this one, and it's okay so far. hopefully the highlighting will prod me onward.

i admitted to my small group last night that i realize i've been neglecting my personal bible study. i opened my bible last night before our meeting, in college-cram fashion, after quite a while of not having consulted the text, so that was an accomplishment. i realized as i was sharing that if i am to hone the talent which is slowly being revealed to me, a most crucial part of this growth entails focused and intense study of the bible (not to imply that's my sole reason, much less the most important reason for reading it!) i get a word of the day, so now i've signed up for daily devotional emails. i had a couple of sites bookmarked, but of course they were deleted when i switched jobs last may.

THE ALCHEMIST

no surprise, another self-help-ish book back on the shelf.

in the meantime, a great bday present i received! the alchemist, which i'd heard of, but didn't know what it was about... and was skeptical of the bandwagon phenomenon... BUT, it was simply wonderful! i read it in a day, ear-marked it sparingly, but absolutely will re-read. so much depth and simplicity. not cliched but rich with lessons, wrapped in an engaging plot and encompassed by FAITH. i cried, meaningfully. i'll write in more detail as i reread.

actually paused the other novel i was reading, the effects of light. the frontcover summary was interesting enough to get me to purchase the book, but i'm a bit disappointed so far. the writing style lacks creativity, and though i'm curious enough about the plot to keep turning the pages, i'm not hungry for the words (as i was with the alchemist!)

i love the books that you can't put down. i love the rush and the exhausted sigh of relief as your bloodshot eyes race toward the final phrase. i especially love the ones that whisk you away, literally to far-off lands and times. though the alchemist didn't quite make me fly, it was certainly a page-turner.