So I guess I should start this off by saying that I am an avid reader. I read A LOT. I read all sorts of book, genres, authors. I just love books. My preference are books that have some sort of message or lesson or spiritual message, but I also adore books that help me to completely escape reality by drawing me into a great story.
I am often seen in the halls of my office walking slowly back from a break with a book open in my hands. My co-works will often chuckle when I run into the corners of office equipment from not paying attention to where I am going.
A couple weeks back a co-worker brought me in three books to read. They are all by the same author and tell her story of self discovery after losing her job, house, and car. All told from her perspective dripping with sarcasm and humor. Since I will also have no job at the end of this month they sounded like just what I needed!
I had a really, really hard time with the first book. The author starts out so self absorbed, so caught up in designer labels, so over the top with her perfect coif, perfect nails, perfect drink, perfect "life", that I almost put the book down a couple of times. I have a hard time with people living in such excess and being so snobby and bragadocious about it.
As you might have noticed I didn't put the book down and ended up reading all three of her books. At the end of the third book I was surprised with myself. The author is an ego inflated, self absorbed, at times whiny, spoiled princess republican from Chicago, but she really did learn an amazing lesson and in the process taught me one.
After getting kicked out of her frou frou apartment, having her car repossessed, and being unemployed for over a year she started to see what was really important in life. Although on the surface I have nothing in common with this woman the more I read the more I could relate to her. I laughed as she cleaned dog pee off her expensive carpets for the umpteenth time. I cheered her on when she choose to live her passion by becoming a writer and leaving the high pressure sales job behind. I could relate when she worked pathetic temp jobs that a monkey could do for minor duckets. Plus, I find her sarcasm totally hilarious! It is rare that I meet someone more sarcastic than I am, but she puts me to shame.
What is the point in relation to my spirituality, you might be thinking? Well, the old saying, don't judge a book by its cover, really fits this situation. If Jen Lancaster and I ever met I doubt that I would have really thought to give her a chance. I would have seen her bleached hair, her Prada purse, and manicure and figured we would have nothing in common, and I would have been wrong.
Life's lessons are hidden every where. We just have to be open to seeing them.
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