In an unscheduled book-browse a week ago, I had found How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain de Botton. I have not read Proust, but I had bookmarked De Botton on my Ted Talks favorites and I grabbed it when I saw his name. This book turns out to become a Christmas and New Year surprise gift sent from Above.
It was the perfect read to kick-off 2010 - with chapters titled How to Suffer Successfully (the title alone made me laugh!), How to Express your Emotions and How to Take Your Time. All good, but my favorites are How to be a Good Friend, How to Open Your Eyes and How to Put Books Down. De Botton made me think and laugh and have a meaningful Saturday afternoon with a light, easy read. Chapter titles notwithstanding, this is not some cheesy self-help book though. Can anything that references Proust be cheesy?
It took 37 years, but original Nona will be happy that
I'm finally going to pick up In Search of Lost Time.
Oh and, Marcel Proust himself gives an explanation to one of my own "maladies" of sometimes preferring the company of books to people, certain people at least. Apparently, this is okay and not weird at all, but that yes, at a certain point we must put our books down. Because, sorry this is kind of a spoiler, but I have to say, Proust will not change your life. You will.
I will. So, this year I will be more accepting of myself. Also, adjust my expectations of others. It was a relevant reminder as the holidays did highlight some strange and not-so-kind behavior from certain-personalities-who-need-not-be-named.
But in life there is always some bad, so I should really not complain. We are not entitled to perfect lives and people treating us perfectly all the time! That's me being Proustian and opening my eyes, and it's only day 3 of year 2010. The point is I am grateful to be blessed with much, much more of the good than the bad. There is a chapter called How to be Happy in Love, and I will toot my own horn (it is a new year) to say that I have that down pat. See photo....
Bragging rights. Happiness in Love achieved.
Thank you to those who blessed the start of our 2010 with their warm wishes... and to the constant cheerleaders who add to the good. You know who you are. Now I say... happy new year to ME!
