Bittersweet & Change

Hello friends! As many of you know, I am a major bookworm. Sadly, ever since I started attending college in 2007 & working full time every summer, I have not had much time to read as many books as I used to. :( Lately though, I have been trying fit in reading time before bed and in any down time I can scrounge up. One of the books that I have been wanting to read for a very long time now is Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist. I had heard WONDERFUL things about this novel & finally purchased it a couple of weeks ago. I am only on chapter 11 out of 35 or so, but this book has already been such an incredible blessing to me. I have found myself underlining quotes more often than I usually do in other books. It is simply the story of an average American woman who has had trials like the rest of us, some more challenging than others, some not. But her honest opinions, thoughts, and wisdom are such a blessing to read. :) Anyway, I just wanted to share my favorite piece of the prologue with you which sets the book up. I found Shauna's take on the word/idea of "bittersweet" to be utterly refreshing. I hope that you do too. :)

"Bittersweet is the idea that in all things there is both something broken and something beautiful. Bittersweet is the practice of believing that we really do need both the bitter and the sweet, and that a life of nothing but sweetness rots both your teeth and your soul. Bitter is what makes us strong, what forces us to push through, what helps us earn the lines on our faces and the calluses on our hands. Sweet is nice enough, but bittersweet is beautiful, nuanced, full of depth and complexity. Bittersweet is courageous, gusty, earthy..."

"This is what I've come to believe about change: it's good in the way that childbirth is good, and heartbreak is good and failure is good. By that I mean that it's incredibly painful, exponentially more so if you fight it, and also that it has the potential to open you up, to open life up, to deliver you right into the palm of God's hand, which is where you wanted to be all along... when life is sweet, say thank you & celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow."

I hope that these quotes have been either encouraging to you or have made you stop and think. I have never looked at bittersweetness and change as a good thing. Change is not my favorite thing in the world to experience, as I said in my previous blog. :) However, I am learning to look at bittersweet things and change as opportunities to grow and to become a better person. I hope that you do too. :)