Only One? Impossible.

Over the course of my life reading books has always been a joy for me. Being given the chance to walk through other worlds, times, dreams, truths, reading a book has always been a welcome escape. My library isn't enormous but it is a good size and over the years, it has traveled everywhere I have gone. My books are like old friends and some have been with me since I was nine years old (The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit Trilogy.....). To say I love my books would not be an overstatement. 

In all of the years of reading if you were to ask me to decide on one favorite, I couldn't do it. Yes, I love to read and re-read the classics, many of them have taken up permanent residence alongside Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Anne Rice, and many others. My favorite? I can't say that I have just one. What I do have are a few 'Go to' books. These are books that always seem ready with advice or a calm word to soothe my busy mind. Clarissa Pinkola Estes penned a book titled, "Women Who Run With the Wolves". On any given day, I can open it to any page and find a word of guidance or assurance. Joining Clarissa's book are a few others, Richard Bach's "Illusions", and Beverly Rollwagen's, "She Just Wants". 

Today, Clarissa's words are, from the chapter "Homing: Returning to OneSelf".....uncanny sometimes - this was what I read....“The psyches and souls of women also have their own cycles and seasons of doing and solitude, running and staying, being involved and being removed, questing and resting, creating and incubating, being of the world and returning to the soul-place.” 
This passage seems apropos to the place I'm at in my life, returning to the soul-place. Creating my place. I feel comforted by her words.

Richard Bach offers something more akin to a Magic 8 Ball. *Laughing* Yes, I am serious. You know how you used to concentrate so hard on a question regarding your hearts most desired wish, shake the 8 Ball and then flip it over hoping for an answer or guidance to help you gain your heart's desire? That is sort of what it's like to open a page of "Illusions". Today I opened the pages and it spoke these words...

“You are led through your lifetime by the inner learning creature, the playful spiritual being that is your real self. Don't turn away from possible futures before you're certain you don't have anything to learn from them. You're always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past.” 

Food for thought and thought to ponder.




To say, "Finally," would be inaccurate but another of my favorites that I go to just to quiet my mind was a gift from a friend. She always put great thought into the gifts she gave me and this one, even though we are no longer friends, is still a treasure and makes me think of her and smile. Beverly Rollwagen's "She Just Wants", is a fabulous compilation of everyday thoughts that women have regarding what seems so simple yet so complicated - everyday life. I think my favorite piece is this one.....maybe....I can never choose just one, so I'll share this one...

"She just wants to let the lazy water fall around her. Someone calls it rain, but that comes with sky-splitting speed. What she wants now is the calming steadiness of a shower. The water should not be cold. She should feel every pore of her body being filled. She will tip her head back, open her mouth and receive what the sky gives. This is a perfect way to drown."

There you have it, a brief, tiny peek into my library. It is my sincere hope that you also have a way to escape and a means to find your way.

Thank you for stopping by and thank you for taking the time to read my rambling thoughts.