What I Read (and enjoyed) in 2015

One of my goals for 2015 was to read at least 30 books that were not nursing textbooks. In the end, I surpassed this goal, reading 53 books in total. As you might expect, some of these reads were not stellar and I would not generally recommend. Another set were decent and enjoyable, but not enlightening, life-changing, or particularly noteworthy. Quite a few (more than I had expected) touched my heart, altered the way I look at the world, or otherwise inspired me. Here is a list of my favorites:

Fiction: 
1. All the Light We Cannot See by Doerr
2. A Gathering of Old Men by Gaines
3. The Night Circus by Morgenstern.
4. The Little Paris Bookshop by George
5. The Crane Wife by Ness
6. The Giant’s House by McCracken
7. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonasson
8. Lost Luggage by Punti
9. Pride and Prejudice by Austen
10. The Forest Lover by Vreeland
11. Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman by Robinson
12. When the Emperor was Divine by Otsuka

Nonfiction: 

1. The Blue Sweater by Novogratz

2. Traveling with Pomegranates by Kidd and Taylor

3. In the Kingdom of Ice by Sides

4. I Wasn’t Strong Like This When I Started Out by Gutkind

5. The Psychopath Test by Ronson

6. The Ghost Map by Johnson

7. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Nafisi

8. Two for the Summit by Norman

9. For Women Only by Feldhahn

10. Crazy for the Storm by Ollestad

11. Last Night I Dreamed of Peace by Tram

12. The Great Divorce by Lewis

Yes, I am aware that I am recommending nearly half of the books I read, but there were so many good ones. I am grateful for all this year had brought, but especially for the way that literature has allowed me to better understand people different than I.  

Voting

We are officially one year away from our national election, featuring the race for the 45 presidency.

As the presidential election approaches, let us remember these things:

-Who we are and how we treat people are far more important than our stances on issues and the candidates for whom we vote. Despite differences of opinion, we are all human and should treat our brothers and sisters as such.

-We live in a nation governed by a three-branch government with a defined system of check and balances. To say “the president cut funding for _____” or “the president implemented ______ policy” shows a lack of understanding about how the US works. Please go back to high school and remind yourself not to blame one person when things don’t go quite as you might have hoped. 

-A single-issue voter is one of the worst things to be. This elected official will have limited time to dedicate to your particular cause. Vote for this individual who best embodies the spirit that you believe should be leading our nation’s policies. Furthermore...

-If you are particularly interested in a particular issue, find other ways to make an impact: volunteer your time, get to know those impacted by the issue, make a monetary donation, write letters to local, state, and national policy-makers, or hold discussions. Believe it or not, social media and wearing a particular color are not the only means of raising awareness

-If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the results. If you do vote, please find better ways to implement your energy and opinions other than complaining and Facebook posts when the results are announced. Feel free to get creative.

-And I'll say it one more time in case you missed it: Who we are and how we treat people are far more important than our stances on issues and the candidates for whom we vote.

                                                                                                                                       

"Things dangerous to come to"

I just watched "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (2013 film) and was totally blown away. Beautiful cinema, great plot, inspiring soundtrack, and a message that was just what I needed right now. I highly recommend it.

I started thinking about adventures. I've been fortunate enough to visit Paris (twice), Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Ireland, and the Caribbean, as well as lots of places in the US. While on our honeymoon in Croatia, Kevin and I talked about where else we would like to travel (eventually).

My travel list includes (at the moment):
-Australia and New Zealand
-Wales
-Iceland
-Africa
-Alaska
-Costa Rica

And my bucket list (at least the parts that cost money) includes:
-Skydiving
-Riding in a hot air balloon
-See the Northern Lights

Hopefully I'll be able to check some of those off my list down the road; in the meantime I'll keep exploring Colorado, dream impossible dreams, and make my daily life an adventure.

Conversion

Why do we have an obsession with converting others to our way of thinking/feeling/living?

"I lost a lot of weight, so let me reduce your confidence in your body so that you want to lose weight too."
"I'm a Democrat, so anyone who isn't must be a moron."
"My life was changed by my belief in Jesus, so you have to be Christian. Otherwise, you'll go to hell."
"I don't feel sexual attraction to those of the same gender, so homosexuality must be an abomination."
"My childhood was spent in a small town, so cities are dirty, corrupt places."
"I've never been assaulted, so anyone who has been must have been asking for it."

Why can't we just let people be who they are? The most minuscule differences can create rifts between people. Scientifically, we are more similar than dissimilar. We generally have the same number of bones, chromosomes, and vital organs. Our hearts beat at similar rates, our bodies utilize the same metabolic processes, our nerves transmit sensory data in the same manner. We might see the world from different angles, but we live among the same mountains, plains, lakes, and deserts. We each take a different number of breaths, but we all breathe the same air.

If you are acting in a kind, generous manner, I will care about you. I might not agree with you on all issues and I might not affirm all of your behaviors, but I will offer you kindness and generosity. Our differences should not connote rejection or hatred. We all have something to bring to the table; we all have something to learn from every other person we see.

Foundations

Kindness.
Gratitude.
Humility.
Joy.
Generosity.

How can my life include peace, hope, and love without these as a foundation? I choose to live my life so that the person I was yesterday would be proud or the person I become tomorrow. The only way to do that is to intentionally live in this day, in this moment.

I will engage in activities that fulfill the various parts of who I am. I will embrace all of me, not focusing on any one part and not ignoring any one part. I will keep my face toward the sun, knowing what is right and not allowing hate, fear, ignorance, or violence to distract me from truth.