Books for when winter's winds are howling
Dear reader,
As the holiday season draws near, I want to remind you that you can choose peace. You always have the control of what is going on in your mind. It's so easy to get caught up in the season's rush and try to cater to everyone's expectations. Did you know that in Roman times
Token gifts of low value were a measure of the high esteem you had for a friend, whereas expensive gifts were a sign you were trying too hard.
Just imagine if we should adopt some that mindset into our modern times.
I hope you'll find time for rest. Maybe even snuggle up with a good book. I have four tips for you today.
Let it snow- John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
Snowstorm in a small town full of quirky and lovable characters. I have this book in Finnish and Swedish to practice the first language.
A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks.
A Christmas Carol- Charles Dickens
This undying Dickens classic is a great reminder that money and material possessions are bleak compared to loving friends and family.
To bitter, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, Christmas is just another day. But all that changes when the ghost of his long-dead business partner appears, warning Scrooge to change his ways before it's too late.
Small things like these- Claire Keegan
This book was described to me as small but mighty and I can only agree.
It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man faces his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery which forces him to confront his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church.
Wintering- Katherine May
One night when I couldn't sleep I picked up this book. The chapter just beginning, was about May not being able to sleep. Since that night this, book has had a special place in my heart.
Sometimes you slip through the cracks: unforeseen circumstances like an abrupt illness, the death of a loved one, a breakup, or a job loss can derail a life. These periods of dislocation can be lonely and unexpected. For May, her husband fell ill, her son stopped attending school, and her medical issues led her to leave a demanding job. Wintering explores how she not only endured this painful time but embraced the singular opportunities it offered.