Actually an Artist

Daily writing prompt

List three books that have had an impact on you. Why?

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Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way we Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

I read this during the fall of 2020, and it, along with Dr. Brené Brown’s other books (Daring Greatly and Braving the Wilderness in particular) really laid bare my personal struggles, armoring, and way out of that way of being. In addition to weekly therapy, it was a transformative time for me for which I am immensely grateful.

The World’s Wisdom

A friend in college gave this book to me. I devoured most of it, then put it up until recently. I’ve been reading it again because this fall I begin graduate school and one of my courses is Introduction to Religious Texts, and this is the textbook! It feels like a full-circle moment and makes me even more excited because it’s a reminder that I’m following what has been important to me for a really really long time. A recent quote that stood out to me, from the Qur’an:

“If the unbeliever knew of the extent of the Lord’s mercy, even he would not despair of Paradise.”

And:

“Do you love your Creator? Love your fellow-beings first.

Tie: The Tears of Things and Everything Belongs

These two by Fr. Richard Rohr tie, I’m sorry I know that’s not the prompt. But Everything Belongs gave me the reassurance to step outside of the music box I had placed myself in, because it reminded me that the music that I love will always be with me, and The Tears of Things gives me direction and reminder of what it is I am putting music aside for. I felt stuck inside a box when practicing and music was all I had time to do. No longer practicing as much (hardly at all, honestly), gives me freedom to do new things that matter a lot to me, including going to graduate school for something that isn’t music and instead focus my time and learning on spiritual teachings that orient me to greater love, understanding, grace, and humility toward others. All these books have been instrumental in this personal development. I’m not there yet, but are we ever? I’m really excited for what’s ahead, and deeply grateful for where I’ve come from. And I think that’s the point. What are your three books?