Musing on Gift from the Sea

I recently read Gift from the Sea twice!  Yep, that's right, I read it twice.  I didn't intend to read it twice, but I joined a book colloquium and happened to read the book before I listened to the audio sent out for the club.  In the audio the mentor of the book club gave very specific instructions on how to read the book, which of course I didn't do because I didn't know them, and he encouraged us if we had read the book already that we needed to read it again, so I did!!:)

I learned so much from this book.  The most important lesson to me was to simplify my life!:)  In fact before the second reading I went through my 2 of my DD's clothes and allowed them to pick only 10 shirts each (they both had a drawer full of shirts!:)  It was amazing!!:)  I would love for my life to be more simple!!:)

The second time through I was told by the mentors of the club it was okay to disagree with a book and to ask specific questions.  I was also told to look for how the book teaches me about how to read a classic!!:) So with that, here is some of what I learned form Gift from the Sea:

What does this book teach me about reading a classic?  Well I must read for myself, because my mission is different than anyone else's including the authors! Keep it simple, I don't always have to come away with something profound!:)  I don't need to worry about impressing other people, I need to feel open and share what I really think.  I need to become lost in the classics and harmonize with them!:)  Read classics with a purpose, then I will be filled so I have no need of "candy" books (books that teach you nothing, but are enjoyable to read - most of the LDS fiction that I read falls into this category!:)  I need to pray as I read the classics.  As I read classics I can find my center and learn about myself!  The light shed by any good book illuminates all life!:)  I can't read all of the classics, so I must be selective, but I must read a variety!:)

What I disagreed with:  In the book she talks about a need to achieve balance.  I've written about this previously here.  But just to re-clarify, balance implies that everything is equal, we don't need that in life, we need harmony, where everything flows!  

In the book Anne Lindbergh declares that women's normal occupations (children, relationships) run counter to a saintly life.  I disagree, women's normal occupations lead to a saintly life!!:)  In rearing children and building relationships is true love and joy found!:)  When we are occupied in these occupations, we are turning to God and in a small way becoming like him!!:)

Anne talks about how we need to work from the outside in, but I think the only lasting change is if you change the inner.  If you do not change on the inside, then your outside change will not last.  Alma 60:23 (but throughout the wars this is proved time and again!:) it says, "Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you, Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also."

She often mentions that women need solitude.  I think what she is saying is they need a time to meditate and talk to God and really know what he wants for them!!:)

Anne mentions that we are all island.  I both agree and disagree with her.  In some ways we are all islands, because we can only change ourselves, but we have a duty to other people to warn, and help, and in that way we are not all islands!  If we were meant to live life alone, then we would have been put on earth one at a time.

I don't agree that husbands and wives should take a lot of vacations separately, but I do think that we all need time to ourselves, to meditate and reflect on life!:)  If we regularly take this time, then we won't need a long vacation!:)  She also says that man and wife can't completely share with each other.  I disagree.  The scriptures command man and wife to become one and I know that it is possible, but it is only possible as both become one with God!:)

And here are some little nuggets that I learned: In order to touch others I must be in touch with myself.  We are hungry for purposeful giving and so we often try to fill that hunger with distractions.  Satan uses distractions to prevent women (and men) from filling their wells so they can really give.  In order to find yourself you must lose yourself!:)  I must find my true center on my own. In my community of friends I need people who are very different from me, different ages, gender, interests....  Modern communication loads us with more problems than the human frame can carry.  Because of the internet, TV, and newspapers we know of a lot more problems in the world, and it weighs us down.  As women we want to be able to help people and fix people, but our minds are overburdened with too many problems that we can't fix.  And finally the problems of the world can only be solved by men and women working side by side!!:)

I loved this book and I plan to read it again and again!!:)  I hope that you enjoyed what I wrote about it and maybe it has inspired you to check it out, it is a short book, that I believe is well worth your time!!:)