THE Must-Read Book for Women

This year has been tough. Really tough. As each month ticks away, I’ve been more drained and falling further behind. There’s a used curriculum sale to organize, homeschool group to think about, high school work to grade, Biology assignments to send out, and the countless places we drive to each week: fencing, preschool, Biology, writing class. Whew!

I’ve started wondering if this is normal, and how everyone manages to keep on top of it all. Then I started reading Gift From the Sea. Oh my word. This book has changed my outlook on life. Not kidding.

I think many moms, especially homeschool moms, start feeling this drained feeling as the winter closes. We’re just holding on to the handrails of life, just waiting for this school year to be over. But why? Why is this the cycle each year?

There has to be a way to get off this roller coaster of homeschooling life and take a more calm and collected approach. There has to be a way to walk through the parkway of life, take in the scenery, and still live a relatively normal life.

Gift From the Sea isn’t a how-to book. You know, since it is over 50 years old at this point, maybe it came before the craze of books, articles, and everything else that declares “10 Things Successful People Do,” or “7 Ways to Save Your Marriage,” or “15 Days to a New You.” You get the point. I fall for it, too. We want to be told what we’re going to get, and when. How much work is it going to require of me? How fast can I nail this down and move on to the next thing? Gift From the Sea isn’t like that. Really, you’re not left with any specific instructions at all. Just a lot of food for thought for a woman, by a woman.

I’ve had to read through the book slowly to really digest what she’s saying. I need to soak it all in because each word is so carefully crafted and beautifully written. It’s like a fine chocolate. You want to savor it rather than chomping down each bite sized Hershey’s, one after the other.

You know, I can’t tell you one tangible thing I’ve done as a direct result of this book  because like I said, she doesn’t give commands to follow up on within the book. Rather, it’s like looking at your life, and the world as a whole, from a different angle. Better understanding being a mother, wife, caretaker, community member, and all the other facets a woman encompasses. Of course she doesn’t forget the fact that we need to be ourselves also. We need to be alone sometimes, just to relax in our own thoughts. It’s amazing how in a book that lacks the context of modern technology, she still hits it on the head when talking about distractions in every day life. I guess gadgets meant to help us being a distraction isn’t as new of an issue as I imagined.

Why am I telling you about this book? Am I trying to sell it to you? Well, I do have affiliate links so if you do choose to buy it, I get a percentage of the sale (and you don’t pay any extra than you would already), but honestly, get it from the library if you so choose. I want you to read the book, however you choose to do so. I don’t know how anyone could walk away unchanged. Not kidding.

Do you have a book that has been motivational and inspiring in your life?

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