A bit more here into the reading that I’m continuing to do in 2011. Allowing myself, inviting myself to read novels. There is a kind of freedom that I’m enjoying in this. And an immense sense of flow. Most of the books I have read in the last several years have been about leadership, organizational design, some on spirituality and psychology. Some on philosophy. All of these have been great. Yet, I recognize that for my own health (and desire for learning and freedom), I’m needing to look away for a bit so that I can even see those things. A bit like the physical phenomenon of looking at a dim star in the night sky, not being able to see it. By looking away it creates a visibility in the periphery of the star.
The House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros) — “You can never have too much sky. You can fall asleep and wake up drunk on sky, and sky can keep you safe when you are sad.” I read this one because my daughter was reading it. Lovely. About voice (“…learn to become the human being you are not ashamed of…”). About activism (“…anger, when used to act non-violently, has power…”). About home (“…home is about creating one’s desired environment…”). I loved even more what my daughter wrote about it for her class assignment. About the “storm of hindrances” that can be part of life. About integrating past to present. The beginnings of her learnings about integrating masculine and feminine and partnering. So many doorways into the learning that is becoming her life and the journey of father / daughter.