What's coming up! And some books I love.

When it seems like the world is falling apart more than coming together, it's difficult to write about our work. And yet it's important:
To gather.
To wonder.
To connect deeply. To ourselves and others.
To activate new eyes, and fresh ways of knowing. 

This article by Shariff Abdullah, one of my mentors, was interesting and provocative and some of his framing was helpful for me- maybe it will be for you too. (it's about climate change and I found it a helpful perspective for all the upheaval)

So what’s up with us?

It was nice to take a little break.
Honestly.
I read a lot of books---which I will share below.

First though.

We have a couple upcoming events for you Central Oregonians.

Our Eastside Library Event on Saturday January 25th 3 pm to 4:30 pm. FREE- No registration necessary. Just show up! We’ll explore a question from the compassion chapter.

And then on February 8th from 1 pm to 5 pm we are having our second Money: Self and World afternoon retreat. Click HERE for details. Registration is required. 

Join us!!

And I’m a reader first and foremost. It's a large slice of how I educate myself.
I’ve been that way since I could pull our radio flyer classic red wagon, the block and a half, to our neighborhood library.

Recently my friend Megan suggested I start sharing my thoughts on what I am reading.
Because I often, repeatedly, and passionately express to her that "this" is my favorite book of all time!
And she lights up, and laughs with me as I wax poetic. Again and again.
Thank you Megan.

Here are the recent ones that lay claim to that place in my heart. And yes, I know I need to change my language to "favorites"!

Erosion by Terry Tempest Williams
I’ve been a fan of her, as a human and a writer, for decades. These essays brought me to tears more than once. They had me pulling out my phone to look people up, write down other resources, and make notes. 
I would audibly exclaim every once in awhile at the language that moves through her onto the page. Her words. Her sentences. Cut deep in a good way. I love her questions. And the very last words of the book:

"How serious are we?”

So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo

I am half way through this book. I am more than half-way through my life. Which saddens me deeply to know that I spent years not talking about this. And it’s never too late.
She gives you actionable ideas. She speaks clearly and directly. In her preface she shares some of her wishes and recognition's of what she left out of the book in the first edition. Humility.
And she does it all with grace and grit and kindness. She reminds you that you need to educate yourself. If you haven’t read a book on race, read this one. If you’ve read White Fragility, read this one.

We Are The Weather by Jonathan Safran Foer 

My daughter is a big fan of this writer. I’m glad she is. I have read many, many books on the climate crisis and I haven’t yet read one like this. The questions he poses. The way he enters the subject. His personal acknowledgment of all the places he falls down.
He wonders and tries to unravel why we aren’t stepping into change wholeheartedly. Why we don’t sacrifice.
I love his lists of things the future might think, or say, or wonder, about us. Including "community as two?". His premise is that the one thing all of us could do is to eat vegan meals twice a day. That would make a difference. It’s not only big change or little change. It’s both/and.
It was both depressing and hopeful. I loved it. 

Hope to see you soon. At an event. Perusing the library. Walking a trail. For a cup of tea and a chat. At a community gathering.

Thank you for being YOU. You matter. And your unique gifts are important!

May the new year be one of transformation beyond our wildest dreams.

Carol