We all have, undoubtedly, crossed paths with several people who have forever changed the course of our lives. Friends, family and teachers have inspired us along the way. In my short 19 years, I have been fortunate enough to have many of these life-altering encounters. As I explore the world of literature and writing, though, one astounding person clearly stands out as influential: the coordinator of my high school book club. She was my high school librarian, and she guided me not only as a writer and a reader, but also generally as a person.
Our book club found its humble beginnings during my ninth grade year with just a few students huddled in our modest library. Since this time, the club has flourished, and the meetings now take place in a new, technologically advanced library (complete with a coffee cart!). All of the hard work taught me a lot about persevering while growing into a young college student, and the books that my librarian introduced me to played a large role in forming the identity that I have today. We read multiple novels, but these few literary gems that I first read in my book club touched me the most. Here's to all of the book clubs out there, and may it never be forgotten what they taught us! (Besides the lesson that not everyone will think your book club tee shirt is the coolest thing on this planet).
1. “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.” -R.J. Palacio, "Wonder"
It can be astonishingly easy in our culture to focus on being tangibly right. After all, no points are awarded on a calculus exam for a heartfelt, but incorrect answer. Sometimes outside of schoolwork, though, it is our kind interactions with others that truly shape who we become, and sometimes this may mean bowing down and admitting to being wrong once or twice.
2. “Home is now behind you, the world is ahead!” -J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit"
We can always trust the giant Wizard, Gandalf, to guide us on any of our "unexpected journeys." This quote specifically speaks to me, as a college freshman who has just left their small hometown to pursue her larger-than-life dreams. While we will never forget the places that raised us, we need not fear the wonderful possibilities (and many, many breakfasts), that lie ahead.
3. “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” -Harper Lee, "To Kill a Mockingbird"
I could never write a list of fabulous books without including my favorite bittersweet classic. In this quote, the wise lawyer, Atticus, teaches his young children what real bravery looks like. Too often as we grow up, we believe that we must make great shows of our courage for others. Mostly though, courage is just waking up every day and doing the best you can, even when the odds are stacked against you. Courage dwells far deeper in our character, and it is often silent, but none the less vital.
4. “Have patience within everything that remains unsolved in your heart.... live in the question.” -Rainer Maria Rilke, "Letters to a Young Poet"
My book club coordinator gave me this book upon my graduation, and I have read it countless times whenever I have struggled to find my way as a new adult. Part of becoming an adult, I have realized, is not having all of the answers, but rather relishing in the unknown. Life is undeniably a mystery, and we should not rush to solve the unsolvable.
