It is not being pessimistic to acknowledge that 2020 has been a rather difficult year for everybody; it is being realistic! There are times that life gets a little overwhelming and you have to try to fit in a few moments of escape time into the chaos!
Back in July when I was feeling a little stretched, I carefully planned a day to celebrate my birthday in a manner that would sooth my soul, revive my spirit, rest my body and bring peace to my mind. I chose a book, stocked up on comfort food, and made sure there was Dr. Pepper in the house. I decided to go with a middle school book. I didn’t want a wild roller coaster ride; I just wanted a heart-warming story to mesh with the goals of my day.
I curled up on the couch with my dog and cats that were all in the latter stages of aging out of life. I read the entire book that day and was so emotionally angry by the time I finished the book, I couldn’t sleep that night. The dog, the best character in the book, died. I finished the book and sat with my old animals and sobbed for a long length of time. I was angry. I wanted to email the author and let her know that if someone or something had to die, it should have been one of the characters who had caused the death of the dog, not the dog! After the emotional storm passed and logic slowly returned, I realized that it was her story and her right to write it as she wished. I also realized that I was upset because my expectations of a perfectly wonderful day were obliterated by the book I chose!
I see it all the time in here. Looking for a getaway, a patron checks out a book and that book does not live up to their expectations. This has the tendency to derail the reader from life’s railroad track, and they have to search for a side track to sit and wait out the emotional upheaval! Although, I know that sounds a little theatrical to nonreaders, readers who get inside the books they read know exactly what I’m talking about!
Failed expectations do not affect only readers; I’m guessing that very few people can say that life has lived up to all of their expectations. You can’t give up! You have to carefully read the review of the book, choose to read it with hope that it will nourish the areas in your life that are hungry, take responsibility for where it takes you, and go for the gamble knowing everything is not going to happen according to your expectations. The same can be said for life! Don’t ever stop reading books or living life; just adjust your anticipations and expectations, if 2020 hasn’t already done it for you!
Word of the Week: The word of the week is “querulous”! The word is an adjective and is pronounced /ˈkwer(y)ələs/. The word means complaining in a petulant or whining manner. No one can be happy all of the time, but you don’t have to be querulous.
Lincoln Library has recently been the recipient of memorials from friends and family of Kathryn Roberta McSpadden McLain, but she was known to most everyone as Brenda. Her obituary, although less than a page in length, tells of a woman who lived just a little over 98 years. I read her obituary with interest; I didn’t know her, but I did have numerous conversations with her.