Tag Archive | friendship

“Carry Me Like Water” – a novel

I love to read but I usually don’t read novels. I have read random ones throughout the years that I love that somehow randomly made it into my hands but since I don’t have a favorite topic or favorite author I usually don’t know where to start to find novels I may like to read.

But recently I found one that captured my heart completely.

I go to used bookstores/thrift stores mostly for books and some of them have plastic bins full of free books. One day recently I bought a shitload of self-help books and was walking out the door and noticed a book in the free bin called “Carry Me Like Water”. I never heard of it before then and did not think for a second that I would actually read or like it before I read the description. But the name, that lovely name, “Carry Me Like Water” drew me in, touched me in an indescribable place, inspired me, and so I snatched it up just for the hell of it!

And whooooaaa am I glad I did!!

I read the back of the book and just knew I had to give it a try. But when I got home, I threw the book aside and promised myself I would read it later. A few weeks have come and gone and I finally picked up the book again and began reading. Since the very first page I was hooked!

Hopelessly, desperately hooked.

There are some books I have read and love but certain parts of it or pages kind of bored me somewhat but this book? Not one word bored me. Not one! What a page turner!

I read it day and night and was through with it in just a couple short days. If it wasn’t for having to sleep and a couple of other essential things I would have read it in one day or less! It has 502 pages.

When I read novels I come to get so attached. I come to love the characters almost as if I know them! And I mourn them when my reading is complete. While I can never wait to get to the end to see what happens, a part of me dreads it because while I can read the book again and again it just won’t be the same as the first read!

This book truly has my heart. I love it. It’s beautiful, captivating, heartwarming, heartbreaking, inspiring, painful, breathtaking, agonizing.

Brilliantly, brilliantly, breathtaking.

It explores some deep sorrows that our world endures such as unjust discrimination against people of certain races, incestuous sexual abuse, homophobia, classicism, HIV/AIDS.

It is a beautiful story of hope, healing, forgiveness, moving on, trust, honesty, friendship, love, and family, romantic as well as platonic/friendship love, self acceptance and the acceptance of others, even those who are different than the character or who have made seemingly unforgivable mistakes.

It takes place in the 80’s/90’s in San Francisco & El Paso and involves a group of people including Caucasian and Latino people and Homosexual & Heterosexual people who are all connected somehow but do not know or realize it. Their lives have crossed or touched somehow at some point. Some do not know it and some want to forget. Their lives are all broken and they all struggle with some sort of emotional pain and very difficult problems that are extremely hard to face and admit.

It explores borders, both geographical as well as emotional borders.

I would fall asleep at night reading it and wake up and begin again!

It shows how people can heal even after horrific tragedies like abuse and loss and abandonment and social injustices and how family is not always biological or blood.

This is thoroughly entertaining and gut-wrenching. I felt every emotion conveyed by the author and experienced by the amazing, incredible characters. I felt like I was involved with the lives and hearts of those people. I haven’t felt that way over a novel since I read my other favorite book, the semi-fictional, “A Million Little Pieces” by James Frey about his beautiful, agonizing struggle to overcome substance addiction.

It is a lovely story! ❤

“Carry Me Like Water”

Published in 1995

Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz

My favorite kind of books/novels, other than self-help, I realize, are ones of hope & healing, perseverance, and overcoming problems that once seemed impossible to overcome. I have a hunger for more of those books. I just have to see what subject they fall under. There are murder mysteries, science fiction, romantic comedy….I guess I have some exploring to do!

😀 ❤

“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”

― Francis Bacon, The Essays

“If you are going through hell, keep going.”

― Winston Churchill

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”

― Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.”

― Abraham Lincoln

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

― Nelson Mandela

“When you get to the end of your rope. Tie a knot and hang on.”

― Franklin D. Roosevelt

“That’s one of the remarkable things about life. It’s never so bad that it can’t get worse.”

― Bill Watterson

When things go wrong, don’t go with them.”

― Elvis Presley

“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.”

― H.G. Wells

“It’s not how we fall. It’s how we get back up again.”

― Patrick Ness, Monsters of Men

Let pain make you BETTER not Bitter!! ❤

Les Miserables

Jan5

I recently saw the movie “Les Miserables”. I never really heard much about the novel or play until the movie came out. When I saw the advertisement for it I knew I had to see it! It looked so good and it is so good!!

I couldn’t find anyone who was willing to see the movie with me so my dad drove me and I saw it all by myself! I always wanted to see a movie myself and never have before. I used to think that going to the theatre all by myself is the worst thing on the planet and who would want to ever do that I would ask myself! Lol. But then I came to understand that it’s good to occasionally do fun things alone and this was my perfect chance. And what a pleasant experience it was! ;-).

The truth is, I found some parts somewhat difficult to understand what is happening in that scene. I get the whole gist of it and understand for the most part though.

I found this movie to be heart- wrenchingly sad but also very inspirational and heart-warming. While there are many scenes displaying abuse, slavery, homicide, war, negativity, sickness, poverty, and more there is determination, hope, love, kindness, friendship, perseverance, will, inspiration, and, motivation glittering amidst the pain & heartache. I was thoroughly entertained. It is pleasing to my eyes & ears!! And I plan to get the DVD when it’s released.

We can look at life in general like this. It’s true. There’s so much grief & pain but through it all there is a light and there is love and hope among it all. So why not see that glittering in the darkness? ❤

There are great people who love and long to help the hurting and suffering ones. There is healing and hope.

When we hear of or experience a horrific event, afterwards we see and experience immense strength & hope and people who jump to help during and after the tragedy. Let’s all give thanks to them for shining their light on us all.

Here is a great quote out of one of the songs in the movie:

“Do you hear the people sing?

Lost in the valley of the night

It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light

For the wretched of the earth

There is a flame that never dies

Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise” ~ Les Miserables finale song

❤ 🙂 😀

Happy New Year to all of you!! <3 :-D

Jan1

“…time is the New Year’s bountiful blessing: three hundred sixty-five bright mornings and starlit evenings; fifty-two promising weeks; twelve transformative months full of beautiful possibilities; and four splendid seasons. A simply abundant year to be savored.” ~Sarah Ban Breathnach (an excerpt out of her book, “Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy)

❤

Happy New Year, everyone!!! I hope this is the start of a beautiful, fantastic year for you all, full of hope, wonder, love, happiness, joy, gratitude, warmth, peace, and friendship, and lots & lots more good stuff!! ❤

My year, 2012, started off very badly with me being in a severe depressed state for months but it ended beautifully and happily with joy and gratitude for everything.

The start of a new year, the beginning of January, symbolizes new hope, possibilities, and tender beginnings. Many, many people make lists of plans and goals and new year resolutions. Many state that they cannot wait until December of the one year ends so a bright new year can begin. But please keep in mind that while time itself may be a natural process or phenomena, the organization of it is not. Organization of time is not natural, it’s a “man”-made concept or created by humans. You never have to wait for a new year to begin or start with a blank slate. You can start new planning and goals whenever you want to; you don’t have to wait until January 1. You can start at the beginning, middle, or end of a year. Start NOW!! (No matter when “now” is) No matter how bad your whole entire year is/was, the last day of that year can still be amazing. Just because we label January 1 a new year doesn’t mean your problems and pain will magically disappear! You have to work to have them disappear but the work is well worth it. So, while the beginning of a year is a beautiful symbol, you don’t need it to start anew!

❤

Much love & blessings to you all! 😀

Each moment is full of wonder & surprise.

Here are some of my goal planning tips that can be very helpful.

I hope they help you!!

❤

1.) Think about goals you truly want to achieve to make/keep yourself happy & healthy. Make sure you are being true to yourself and not doing things just to please everyone else or other people. If you want to take certain classes, dress a certain way, do certain hobbies, make certain relationship decisions or any decisions, do what is best for you no matter what people say or think. This is your life, not theirs. You are responsible for your life and they are responsible for theirs.

2.) When you list your goals, write them out and be specific as possible. List details and use your vivid imagination. If your goal is to be healthier, list how you want to be healthier and ways you can do that. “I plan to wake up a half hour earlier each morning to go for a run.”. “I wan to do specific ab exercises to tone my muscles.”

3.) Make your goals positive things to enhance the quality of your life and/or the lives of others. And write them out and think about them in a positive way, for example: “I want to work out more to make my body healthy and feel great and I am ready!” as opposed to “I can’t stand my body and being unfit and I don’t want to have to exercise but I have to”. Think of your goals as positive challenges and opportunities and not as negative hassles and obligations. Savor and cherish the feel and the process. Think about how this tedious hard work is getting you closer to all that you want to be. This will make you more motivated and ready to work at your goals and achieve them!

4.) Remember, just like negative habits, you can form and develop positive habits that will become routine and natural for you. You can intentionally form and strengthen them.

5.) Try to find positive inspiration. There are many people in the world who will be willing and ready to nourish your positive attitude and goal planning and help you cultivate positivity. They will help and support you anyway they can. They want to see you win even if they do not always win. Try to surround yourself with those. If you must be around negative people and do not currently have a positive support system, never let their negativity take a toll on you. Distance yourself emotionally and just keep thinking positively. Let their negativity bounce right off you and stay strong. You can also find positive people online to connect with in groups or social media, blogs, online articles…Try to find people who are passionate and motivated and ones who have accomplished what you seek to accomplish. Read books by amazing people. Let their successes, fortunes, happiness, and lives inspire and motivate you.

6.). Make a list of your positive attributes. Focus on your strengths and accomplishments. Look at what you can do right. Are you intelligent, good at problem solving, open minded, accepting, passionate, determined, hard-working….? Even if you aren’t yet, you can work on and develop these things.

7.) Take seriously your own goals. Work hard for what your really want. Practice.

You are important and what you want for your life is important and does matter! So act like it and believe it! You are a person just like anyone and deserve a great and happy life. If you really believe you are worth it, you are more likely to work for it.

8.) Forgive yourself if you do not achieve a specific goal when you planned to. Remember falling isn’t failing if you keep getting up and trying again! You won’t always succeed right away; some things take practice and time so be patient! We all make mistakes and we cannot always do everything. Go easy on yourself; you aren’t alone or a bad person for making mistakes or not accomplishing what you think you should or could have.

So cheer up; it gets better! 😉

You most likely would not negatively judge or severely criticize a close friend or family member for not accomplishing a goal; you would be loving and supportive; treat yourself that same way!

“Fall seven times get up eight” Japanese proverb

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ~ Confucius

X0xo Kim 😀 🙂