Traveling Mercies

My manager, Michele loaned me this book by Anne Lamott. Just reading the title, I was a little leary of it, expecting it to be some 'let me try to cram Jesus down your throat' type of book. But since Michele recommended it (and I can't see her reading something like that) I gave it a try.

Only a few pages into it, I knew I would like it. The way Anne wrote was so lighthearted and funny, I flew through this book in no time. It's pretty much a collection of chapters she writes on different experiences she has and she writes each of them with a witty, dark sense of humor. She rarely mentions her faith and when she does, it's casually, not forceful at all. She was a former alcoholic/pill user/eating disorder sufferer who is a Born Again Christian. Usually those people can be a little scary but she is completely down to Earth and with a sense of humor that I can relate to. After reading this, I decided I wanted Anne Lamott to be my friend. I just can't collect enough funny people in my life ;)

Two things hit me pretty hard (in a good way) in this book. The first was when she was talking about people experiencing one bad thing after another, after another. She explained it as someone once told her; all these bad things are happening in order to distract you from a bigger, better thing that is trying to be 'born' in your life...if you weren't distracted, you might interfere with the process of the good thing ever happening to you. I read this part, literally, only minutes after drying my eyes after an emotional outburst at Tim, crying that I would never find a teaching job and that I need to move but I won't move and I won't leave every one I love here and blah blah blah. I don't know how true that statement is, but it gave me another glimmer of hope just as I snuffed out what I thought was my last glimmer out there.

The second was at the end of a chapter where she finally came to terms with the death of her father. She said, "My father had long legs, too. I tried very hard to keep up with him when I was a child. That's why I naturally walk so fast, and why I sometimes feel I can walk forever."

I do the same thing and while this wasn't a deep "Ah ha!" moment, I definitely related to this statement. It made me smile that someone else had a similar bond with their father, something that impacted them for the rest of their lives some how (even if it may be something as stupid as being a fast walker) I've never met anyone who for the first time walking with me somewhere, hasn't commented on that.

My favorite chapter was where she was describing her 'feta cheese thighs' which she affectionately refers to as the "Aunties." If you read nothing else in this book, you have to read that chapter!

Would I recommend this book? Yes! This was an easy, light read but it was not shallow in depth.