The Power of Books

Books are therapeutic.  Reading stories can transport us to other times and places; characters can become role models; we are able to learn about the world, others, and ourselves in ways that are more fun and less intimidating than direct learning can be at times.  Coming away from powerful stories, we take a piece of that story and its impact upon us with us as we go. 

Books bring us to a world that shows us anything is possible.  Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and they fail sometimes.  But when they fail, they are able to get back up and come back stronger than before.  Books show us magic is possible and that when we dream these dreams can come true.  Books have a way of finding us when we need them the most.  Here are a few of the books that have made themselves gifts to me in times of need.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I was given this book by a friend when I was in elementary school.  And, truth be told, my first time trying to read it did not go very well.  I won’t say I hated it, but I was definitely not drawn in by it.  A few years later, I found it on my bookshelf again.  And for whatever reason, I decided to give it another try.  This time around, the story of the orphan girl grabbed me and pulled me in.  I read the other books in the series and have since read them many times.  I love the setting and the community that lives there.  How friendships bloom and kindred spirits are found.  The power of the imagination that fills the stories of Anne make them special to me.

Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish

I was working as a residential counselor for a wilderness therapy program in Florida.  The work was hard.  I found a bookstore nearby- and found happiness there.  I read a lot and places do not start to feel like home until I have located a bookstore (and the post office and grocery store and yarn shops being nearby is also a definite plus).  I wandered through the bookstore I had found and happened upon this book.  The title drew me in; the idea of a fabulous traveling funeral.  The connections between characters that formed with ease and the true tales of the lives of women- their caring, giving, and strong natures.  It was a story of the hurts that life gives and the ways in which women build resilience by facing them.  The power of friendship that fills these pages make them special to me.

Harry Potter books by JK Rowling

Harry Potter is a series of books mentioned often by fans of the stories far and wide.  The books are so well written.  And with each reading, there are more details that make the story flow from one page to the next and one book to the next.  The characters become great friends and face many adventures and trials together.  The magic is wonderful, but what endears these books is the theme of love in all its forms being the most powerful magic of all.  The power of love that fills these pages make them special to me.

I encourage you to find your local bookstore, the small ones that are independently owned are the best, and find the books that will fill your special shelves with meaning.  The books that are hard to put down and that you can read and re-read over and over again.  The ones that find you in a moment of need and give you a gift that can be hard to put into words but you feel deep into the core of who you are.  The therapeutic nature of this is important to capture and to not underestimate.  Happy reading!