If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it #ToniMorrison

Fortunately for me, there are plenty of books that have already been written that I wanted to read. *wait, did that make sense* I've spent a lifetime between their covers... #MyLovers That's how I managed to live so long. And here is what they taught me. In no particular order...

I bet he smoked Newports.

Catcher In The Rye.

Lesson: I can totally relate to White people.

I read Catcher in the Rye when I was in High School. I was in Advanced Placement classes. Every morning, I would catch SamTrans (the 6A) to Menlo-Atherton High School with a group of people who looked like me and lived where I lived. By the time we made it down the main hall, I was sitting in a classroom looking like the only person like me. Their lives diverged from mine, like I did from my friends in the morning. Enter J.D., writing about a kid with a life struggle that looked like mine. A life lived in the silence of my mind. His skin, uncolored by those words, repainted my reverie. I saw my life depicted on the chalkboards. I realized that I have “white people” problems too. And, they sucked just like my “black people” problems. Who? Knew? And our lives converged in that moment, like the final bell reuniting me and my friends as we dug for our bus passes.

Thanks for not rottin' in that jail Miss Sophia.

The Wedding.

Lesson: Love is the hardest thing any person can ever do.

Will the world ever be ready for an interracial couple? Yup. Thanks future children of the world.  We have some awesome parenting happening. The world in The Wedding was not ready for Shelby and her beau. Navigating her “stay in the color lines” life was tough when you sprinkle love in it. But, if it’s not color, it’s something else. Right? You meet someone, you fall in love and you see your entire future. Then you are confronted with each other’s families. And how do you explain the difference in color, or income, or profession, or interests, or religious beliefs, or political ideologies? You try to explain it, but to no avail. And then you have to choose. What you knew before your love, or the love you know defines everything you endeavor to become. Shelby was certain. She came home and found doubt. She ran into temptation and was almost convinced. She faced her love and said “I do”. And nothing about that was easy for her to do. Or me to read.

Las Mariposas #ImBilingual

In The Time Of The Butterflies.

Lesson: Women are more powerful than they will ever know.

I have six sisters. And I could not wait to go to college and share a room with 2 other girls that I did not know, because I had been living with my sisters forever – and they got on my nerves! Right? The house was too small. Everybody was always in my business. Quit wearing my shoes! Why did you tell on me? Ugh. My sisters were nothing like the Mirabal sisters. Only, they absolutely are. Smart. Strong. Confident. Beautiful. Loyal. Creative. Passionate. I did not see that after I read the book. It took some time, maturation, and distance to realize how powerful we were together. No man has ever survived an interaction with the Gurley sisters, without sustaining some type of injury. No man was crazy enough, to consider being considered a suitor to one of us, if it meant he had to confront us the group. As a collective. Power is not always in the numbers. But, there are indeed a number of us Gurley’s. And we are absolutely powerful.

FOLDIN!!!!!!

 Sadako & The Thousand Paper Cranes.

Lesson: Hope will save your life.

I read this book in the 5^th grade. While reading the book and studying the meaning in our class lessons, we learned to fold paper cranes. As a class, we made 1,000 paper cranes on some of the prettiest paper I had ever seen in my entire “I’m in 5^th grade” life. I stayed after school to make cranes. I took paper home to do them. I folded cranes on the school bus. I even made a few in Church. Sadako did not live *spoiler* but somehow she survived. I never termed that as “hope” but that’s exactly what it was. Her belief in that thing, the 1,000 paper cranes saved her life, and the lives of everyone involved. Don’t believe me? Think about it. You are reading about her right now. And, when I get stressed out (like all the time) I fold paper cranes.

Haven't touched a kite since.

The Kite Runner.

Lesson: Keep your word. People are depending on it. And you.

The truth? There are more lessons to learn from this book in this lifetime and the next one Erykah was singing about #We'llBeButterflies. Oh man. I remember vividly crying whilst reading. I have shed a tear or ten reading a book before, but the tsunami that came out of my eyes that night as I finished The Kite Runner? Let’s just say that a colleague in the office asked me if I was having trouble at home and needed to speak to someone confidentially at the Counseling Center. I remember the part of the novel, in which he is trying to adopt the little boy, save him from the tragedy called his life, written in those pages. He promised to save him. To give him a #NewLife because everyone needs one, once in a while #Intro, and that little boy earned his two times over. But he could not do it. He had to leave him there. He could not (immediately) fix the world. He could not make good on his word. It was not for a lack of trying, or doing the right thing, asking the right questions, making the right meetings, or any of that. The world did not want that man to be great that day. He had every right to give up, despite giving his word, but no way, Boss! In that moment, I realized that I would use every inch of my life to keep my word. Because someone, somewhere is depending on it. They earned my word. They deserve it. #mywords

And then I read Ten Thousand Splendid Suns. I took a short hiatus from reading shortly after.

I prefer grape jelly anyway. #NoCrust

The Butter Battle Book.

Lesson: You don’t have to be wrong, for me to be right. #YouAreProbablyWrongThough

Now, I totally think I’m right, about everything. That’s the irrational me. That’s the person you are almost always speaking with – The Right One. Now, the logically thinking intellectual me (about to get on my evidence of absence-absence of evidence ish) understands that while there is indeed a “right” and a “wrong” not every circumstance that has a “right” requires there to be a “wrong” to balance the see-saw. Because there are more than just see-saw’s on playgrounds. Swings, slides, tetherballs, hopscotch…I mean, all kinds of things! Freakin’ 4-Square man! You can potentially make 3 new friends! So what were the Zooks and Yooks fighting over? Whether or not they should eat their bread with the butter side up or down. In the midst of trying to determine which one was the correct way to dress toast, they never stopped to see that, “Hey, we’re all eating bread with butter!” The real tragedy was that they almost killed themselves trying to prove the other wrong. It was then I realized, I would never argue my position to destruction. If I’m right (which I typically am), I will pray for a life long enough in which time proves my point on my behalf. I can use that saved breath arguing about football with my Uncle who is NEVER wrong.

Yes. That was an important life lesson from Dr. Seuss, even though it was about the Cold War. Judgement? I’ll wait.

Yes! There are pictures!*

The Alchemist.

Lesson: The things I want in life are usually the things that are really hard to get. #DoWork #ChallengeAccepted  #AlchemistInTheMaking

Why it took me so long to read this book, just like the tootsie roll pop, the world may never know. I will never forget the words I read. Mostly because I keep reading them. About love, self discovery, gratitude, trials, tribulation, service, the unknown, the journey, perseverance, and Belay On! I think, in lieu of my parents, this book could have raised me. Such wisdom. Alchemy is hard work. I mean, after Jesus turned water to wine, the miracles kinda stopped there. This kid’s life was tough, yo. He had to say goodbye to his love. He had to have faith she would be there when he returned. Hell, he had to have faith that he would return. He suffered. Yet he continued on. And most importantly, he was honest about his fears. That’s what compelled me most of all. Honesty through whatever came. Maybe that’s the hard part about being an Alchemist. Being honest. See! I’m still learning ish! Damn Paulo… You. Are. Good.

*In the equally moving graphic novel version.

…honorable mention…

Dear World, Do Better.

PUSH

Lesson: We live in a f*cked up world.

Nope. Not about to have me on this post talking about what I read in that novel. Nope. Not about to do it. The only reason a person can write about stuff like what’s in PUSH is because we live in a world where it is possible. And not possible like a once in a lifetime “you can see the aurora borealis from your bedroom window in Idaho” possible, but an “I’m going to get in my car and drive to work” (which happens every freaking day) possible. As a world of people, we are f*ckin horrible. We need to do better.

…(un)honorable mention…

Grey ties startle me.

50 Shades of Grey (and then it got darker, and I’m waiting to be freed)

Lesson(s): I need more hobbies; Sex – o_O um…about that? #NooooShe(me)WasntReady

I have no excuse for how quickly I got through all three of those books aside from acknowledging that I need a hobby. Curiosity killed the cat, my prospects for the future and my innocence. Father God In Heaven WHY did I keep reading?! My sissy pooh Shellie read them too. After she finished them, she called me and asked me if I was okay. She knew that I was distraught. I sooo was.

Okay. Sex. Who knew it happened like that? I mean hold my pearls, my mule and my spleen…does this stuff really happen? Do y’all really get down like that? Y’all are nasty! I had to google a lot of the stuff they talked about. I’m not afraid to admit it. Mostly because I’m ashamed to admit it. You have to pick one. You can’t be afraid and ashamed at the same (damn) time. I feel like, I’m legally an adult, so I should know this stuff. But, I watch cartoons every morning, so my grey *heehee* matter hasn’t caught up with the age on my driver’s license.

Anastasia, honey chile, you are one brave fictional woman. And yes, I'm going to see the movie.

What books informed your life lessons? What are you honorably mentioning? What's on your #CCOD list? Don't worry, I won't tell. Talk to me...