I made it my goal to finish a book over Christmas break. And I’m delighted to share that I met my goal last night!
This really is nothing to brag about for I’ve been reading this book for years. I’ve packed it with me on more trips than I can count. I read before bed every night, but I don’t make time to pause and cuddle up to read anymore. There are so many perks of working at home, but the one down side is that you work from HOME (obvious). But that means that when I am home and have a free minute, I tend to work.
So, because one of my best friends told me about this book, “Wonder” many years ago,I bought it for my daughter who is a voracious reader. She read it and loved it. Then my son who does not enjoy reading, read it…and read it again! Therefore, I knew it would be great.
So, finally, last night, I finished! It was SO good. The special edition which includes “The Julian Chapter” made the book that much more rich. Wow. A must read for anyone younger or older.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is from a school administrator speaking the 5th grade students at their commencement:
“But the best way to measure how much you’ve grown isn’t by inches or the number of laps you can now run around the track, or even your grade point average–though those things are important, to be sure. It’s what you’ve done with your time, how you’ve chosen to spend your days, and whom you have touched this year. That, to me, is the greatest measure of success.”
I LOVE this and feel that as we reflect on 2016 we can also take these guidelines to heart. It’s not how much money we have made, how much weight we have lost (or gained), that is important. But who we have touched and how we have spent out time. A good thing to ponder as we wrap up this year.
And another quote I love is:
“Shall we make a new rule of life…always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary.”
Wow I love this. He continues, “Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed…If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary–the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, the face of God.”
Thank you R.J. Palacio for a beautiful book to inspire the generations.
May we all be encouraged to reflect on 2016 by way of how we have impacted the world around us. And may we each be a little kinder than necessary in 2017.
