How was your literate life this week? As always, I’m here in your Inbox to celebrate our literate lives with a sneak peek into my own. Here’s what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and loving this week:

What I’m Reading:

I am reading A LOT! My family celebrates Christmas and I took a few days off of work to simply be present with my family. And that means more time for reading, too.

I received Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens as part of my holiday book exchange and had it at the top of my stack, just waiting for the chance to dive into a longer novel. And it was beautiful. I was entranced from the very first page and even though I expected this to take me a while to complete, I devoured it in two days. Because I HAD to. I love books that layer perspectives together, especially those that move from past to present to uncover the full story of the characters. And while I usually do not prefer to read mysteries, especially murder mysteries, the multiple storylines of family tensions, coming-of-age, new love and being open to new connections kept me on my toes throughout the entire novel. This is a must read for all.

But there’s more reading. =) Amazon sent me an email thinking I would like to read The Shivering by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie since I loved her earlier short story, Zikora. And Amazon was right. It was a short, but powerful, exploration into unexpected friendships, unhealthy relationships, religion and the tentativeness of the future. And the best part? It’s only $1.99 on Amazon right now!

What I’m Writing:

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit what I was writing this week. Earlier, I received a beautiful Christmas card from a friend, the kind of card with beautiful family pictures and a letter of what the family had been up to for the year. Now, I LOVE these kinds of cards, but for me, they instantly come with a great deal of guilt for not creating my own. So I did. But in my notebook. And I was honest. =) My letter did not look like the one I received full of glowing family accomplishments only. There were those, but it honestly noted the realities of the year, too. The good, the bad and the ugly. And while I’ll NEVER send this, it was great notebook therapy. I might even ask my children to write one (if they agree!) to see their perspective of the year, too. I highly recommend you do the same.

What I’m Learning:

While my week was filled with holiday goodness, I’m also thinking ahead to the new year, taking stock of 2020 and thinking intentionally about 2021. And Holstee is helping me do just that with their step-by-step guide for making sense of 2020. Here are just a few of the prompts to jump-start your thinking:

  • Mind: Did you feel clear-headed, engaged, and intellectually challenged?
  • Body: Did your body feel healthy, nourished, and strong?
  • Soul: Did you feel at peace and connected to the world around you?
  • Work: Did you feel interested in and fulfilled by your work?
  • Play: Did you engage in activities that brought you joy?
  • Love: How did you feel about the relationships in your life?

What I’m Loving:

Mother Nature brought 35 inches of snow to our doorstep earlier in the week. And if she hadn’t, I’d be collecting acorns just so I could attempt to make some of these adorable creatures. I mean, don’t you just want one of these….and then write a story about them?!

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?