Thanks so much to everyone who was able to make our virtual March Bubbly & Books Book Club. We had a great discussion! We held our first virtual discussion! It was nice to see everyone, but I’ll be honest the yummy food was missed! The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown was a timely book to discuss. For this virtual gathering, we hung out at our own homes — eating treats, drinking bubbly, and talking! A wonderful time was had by all.
Everyone who read or listened to the book agreed that they found the book is a great resource and an important read. Some of us had just started the book and a few of us had not read it. But that didn’t matter. We were still able to share the ideas presented and have a great discussion. This is why book clubs are so much fun – you do not have to read or finish the book to participate! If you were unable to attend the book discussion, we highly recommend that you read or listen to this book when you get a chance.
Some favorite quotes from ― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection :
“We cannot selectively numb emotions, when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”
“Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed and rare.”
“Perfectionism is a self destructive and addictive belief system that fuels this primary thought: If I look perfect, and do everything perfectly, I can avoid or minimize the painful feelings of shame, judgment, and blame.”
“The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.”
April Bubbly & Books Book Club:
Date to virtually meet: Thursday, April 30th
Time to meet: 7:30 – 8:30 pm
Meet in your own homes!
Bring: yourself and consider a snack or treat, plus your favorite beverage to drink
Read/listen to most of or all of: Stay by Catherine Ryan Hyde
This novel is by the author of New York Times bestseller Pay It Forward. The story takes place in the summer of 1969, fourteen-year-old Lucas Painter carries a huge weight on his shoulders. His brother is fighting in Vietnam. His embattled parents are locked in a never-ending war. And his best friend, Connor, is struggling with his own family issues. To find relief from the chaos, Lucas takes long, meandering walks, and one day he veers into the woods.
There he discovers an isolated cabin and two huge dogs. Frightened, he runs. And the dogs run with him. Lucas finds unusual peace in running with the dogs, and eventually he meets their owner, Zoe Dinsmore. Closed off and haunted by a tragic past, Zoe has given up. She doesn’t want to be saved. She wants out. But Lucas doesn’t want her to go, and he sees an opportunity to bring more than one friend back into the light. It’s either the best or worst idea he’s ever had, but Lucas isn’t giving up on Zoe or Connor.
Their unexpected connection might be the saving grace that Zoe thought she’d lost, that Connor needs, and that Lucas has been running toward.
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