First Monday Reading Group: February 2014

[December 2013]

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Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on life and love from Dear Sugar, Cheryl Strayed

host: Christina

number of voters: 8

percentage of voters who finished the book: 88

highest rating: 9

lowest rating: 4

average rating: 6.75

menu: “dear sugar” cookies; “honey buns”; “sweet pea” bites; black bean & “pumpkin” empanadas; sparkling “peach” punch

*****

Dear Sugar,

I’ve been reading your book lately. I don’t mean to make you blush when I say that it is full of profound and piercing advice, written with stunning beauty and candor. Sometimes I will send the kids to their rooms, turn down the lights, curl up on the couch (under a blanket, in a fetal position), and read until I have exhausted myself with tears, laughter, empathy, and self-reflection. This usually occurs after only a few pages. At that point I have to put the book down and allow myself time to recover. Then I get up and go about my day, wanting to tell anyone and everyone to read your book.

And yet…

I know not everyone will appreciate your book. I know there are people—people I admire, people I love—who will be repelled by the harshness of your tone, your choice of words, and sometimes even the advice you give. Some will find your use of colorful language… ahem… a bit much. (A few of your word choices could make even a salty sailor blush.) Others will disagree with your moral code. I imagine many will not find it as insanely beautiful as I do. Maybe some will loathe it.

What do I do? How can I freely reveal to friends my passion for your book, knowing that my enthusiasm could be met with resistance, indifference, or possibly even disdain? What if I offer my fragile heart and it is shattered? Wouldn’t it be easier to stay on the couch (under that blanket, still in that fetal position) and keep reading, all alone?

Signed,

Introspective Reader

Dear Introspective Reader,

“That your friends have those opinions...does not mean that they don’t love you or value as a friend.”

“We are obligated to the people we care about and who we allow to care about us….. Our main obligation is to be forthright.”

“You don’t have a right to the cards you believe you should have been dealt…. You have an obligation to play the hell out of the ones you’re holding and, my dear one, you and I have been granted a mighty generous one.”

“Isn’t this cool? It really is, pumpkin.”

“You cannot convince people to love you. This is an absolute rule. No one will ever give you love because you want him or her to give it. Real love moves freely in both directions. Don’t waste your time on anything else.”

“You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery. Be a warrior for love.”

Yours,

Sugar

p.s. “The best thing you can possibly do with your life is to tackle the mother-f***ing s*** out of it.”

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tiny beautiful things