READ: Find The Good

I find power in others telling their stories and I hope you do too!

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You might think the life of an obituary writer might be sad and depressing but if you read Find The Good: Unexpected Life Lessons From a Small-Town Obituary Writer you'll see that it can actually be fulfilling to celebrate people and their lives. I try my best to join in on Ruth Ayres' Celebrate posts every week because it helps me reflect, realize, cherish the ups and down life brings my way...or that I happen to find along the way. 

Find The Good was a book that also gave me the opportunity to slow down, sip the sweet tangy lemonade, and soak up life. The whole book felt like sitting in an Adirondack chair after a long day, it just felt full of life but full in a satiated kind of way, not in a weighed down kind of way. It's a beautiful homage to life. Through story, Heather Lende shares some wise life lessons worth paying attention to. 

The thought of dying might be scary but the idea of celebrating the life we get to experience is beautiful. At a writing retreat with Brenda Powers from Choice Literacy a couple of years ago, she shared two amazingly-written obituaries. The were full of voice and without knowing the people, they felt like my neighbors. 

Here are two obituaries I found just as powerful, one celebrates Carrie Thiederman and the other celebrates Mary Stocks. Please know that you don't have to read them but I found reading about their lives as a simple way to remind myself to find the good in life while I can. 

If you're looking for a calming read and an intriguing look at writing and life, I recommend Find The Good by Heather Lende.