You know you love a book when:
3. You buy it in hardcover before you finish reading it.
2. You read even the description of the font set, because you don't want it to be over just yet.
1. You want to change yourself because a character inspires you.
In my top 3 must-reads for nonfiction. I kept thinking, "If this was fiction I'd say this is so unrealistic; these things could never really happen; especially not to one person." But they did.
One thing I walked away with after reading Unbroken is the realization that it's possible to not complain. Even in bad situations. Even in horrific situations. And maybe "woe is me"s are actually destructive to success. I at least know this: if Louie Zamperini didn't complain, then I can never justify complaining.
I've found that not complaining is harder than I thought, because it's often breaking social etiquette. It's easier for me to say, "Seth is still screaming all the way through nursery at 21-months-old, dangit" than "Yesterday Seth looked at me, placing his hand on my cheek in a way that said, 'I trust you and I love being with you'; I love being a mom". It's the commotion and worry of the day that's easiest to share. It's difficult to come across down-to-earth without a little complaining. Thankfully, I live around many moms who know how to share those tricky situations in a laugh-them-off way, without complaining. I need to learn the ropes of that social nook a bit more.
It runs deeper than social settings though. I know because when Ben walks in that door, what do I tell him about my day? Oftentimes I reel off the latest reason dinner is going to be a little late because of some hold-up. Couldn't I just as easily tell him the new words Seth said that day while we finish up dinner together instead of souring the welcome home moment? I could. So it's not just social pressure. It's a mindset.
There's a graceful way to stay upbeat while still looking at your challenges realistically. At least this book made me begin thinking so.
Starting this goal on the Zamperini scale is daunting; but I'll just start with baby steps. If Zamperini was running the mile in 4 minutes, I'm try to run it in 10.
