My Community of Books

Have you ever been asked if you were stranded on a deserted island, what one book would you want to take with you? I’m grateful that I have not been asked through circumstance to make that choice.
 

Of course, no (wo)man is an island; we are all part of, or feel apart from, various communities. One essential part of the community that sustains me is my community of books. I know a community is supposed to be about real, live women and men who we connect with in person, but these days my community expands beyond my partner, friends and colleagues and is global in my work as a coach. On a daily basis it also includes non-human community such as my cats, my dogs, trees and… my beloved books.
 

Through books, I have connected throughout my life with hundreds of women and men, both my contemporaries and those from years and centuries past. Some of the books penned by women that I’ve read in recent times include Living Your Best Life; The Secret Life of Bees; The Poisonwood Bible; Refuge; The Comfort Queen’s Guide to Life; Fearless Living; Hope’s Edge; Paula; Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life; and The Purpose of Your Life. Whether fiction or non-fiction, books bring me into wider communities than I would ever get to experience in my day-to-day life. I laugh and cry as I read the stories, whether true or fictional. I learn, I grow, and I feel connected to the human community.
 

A client told me the other day she admired me for how I actually found time to read. I told her that truthfully, it was often a struggle, but that lately I was making the time, usually in the evening. It’s a challenge for many of us to find time to spend on this aspect of community. But even 15 minutes a night gets you through a book faster than you might think. Not that speed is the goal. Savoring a superb piece of writing can be as rich an experience of community as a delightful dinner with friends.
 

Akin to books are, of course, periodicals, such as Western North Carolina Woman. In just over a year, this publication has done a tremendous amount to create community in our area. I read the stories, thoughts, adventures, struggles and wisdom of my local sisters and I am inspired, educated, and moved. And I actually meet some of them in person, at the monthly potlucks, at local bookstores or in cafes. Community!
 

With the written word, I feel connected to the human family, to its ideas, its failures and its triumphs. I am connected to the hearts and minds of women and men around the world – my extended family. And I feel hope.
 

© 2003 Anne Alexander, All rights reserved in all media.