|
I wish I could read more. If lucky, I can get maybe a half hour in a day of focused book reading. I feel fortunate that the few books I had the opportunity to read last year all left a profound impact for which I feel pleasantly grateful. They all had an effect in different parts of my very complex (if I say so myself) soul. I could feel my spirit being enriched with each word, each line, and every paragraph. These books no doubt took longer because they were so enthralling that I had to stop and research, meditate, and sometimes weep. As many of you know, I had such a tumultuous year. I was thankful to speak with a professional in some of the darker moments,
I count the last finished book as one from last year book since I started it November (or maybe October). Reading Post Traumatic Slave Syndromeby Dr.Joy DeGruy was tough. Not because it was written poorly (It was crafted with refined excellence), it was because the subject matter hurt. She shared the level of cognitive dissonance that we used to justify one of our most recent painful atrocities as humankind, and the lasting impact that it has today. I admit that this was introduced to me from some very dear friends and a creative project. Usually when I hear about a book this way (which is often), I just put in my every expanding todoist checklist and it goes to the bottom of the queue. This one was very different. After seeing several YouTube videos my curiosity was piqued to the level, that it cut the line to be the next read. This book was one of the ones in which I stopped often. There were many points that required research and clarity. I felt like I read the equivalent of five books by the time I was finished. There may be an anticipation that I would share the horrors of the book’s premise and the subsequent anger I feel and felt reading it. I had those feelings definitely, but my ultimate output of emotion is different. The fact that we as humans are fighting to be aware of what we have done to each others, gives me hope. This is exhibited by the creation of this book as an example and the enormous strides we are taking around our rights in this Universe. There are forces that fear unity as it creates an environment of (lasting) equality. Our mental compartments todays are more insidious constructs than the the visible color of our skin. I exhibit all the traits (you have to read it) of someone with PTSS. This book has alerted me to the fact that I must stay hyper-vigilant about it’s consequences to those around me. Every book has some sliver of impact on us, but this one will resonate for the rest of my days. I am also comforted that the example that Jesus has given us (the antithesis of slavery) will have a longer imprint on the human race than our attempts to divide, denigrate, or destroy. What I received from this is that his message to all of us ultimately will triumph and give us the strength to truly love each other. This book on the WIT scale is a BUY (and read). |
|
