Sanctuary...

"Why do we assume that being authentic involves exiting from the circumstances and momentum of one's actual life and striving for an elevated plane of existence somewhere else? The prevailing wisdom is that the clutter and stress of daily life brings out what is most artificial in us. Why do we believe we're above it all, destined for so much better, if only there was time to think, meditate, and get really tactile with the land, the elements? Why must we stand on cliffs or stagger up monastery steps or kick our toes through the sand in order to feel in the moment? Why can't we be authentic in the authentic moment itself?" (from Safe Haven: The Possibility of Sanctuary in an Unsafe World by Larry Gaudet, p. 66)

Yeah, why is that?! I picked up this book by Gaudet at the public library. I had never heard of it, nor did I seek it out. It was just sitting there on a shelf... and it called out to me. I was hooked when I read the following on the inside flap: The book (...) dips into Gaudet's own Acadian heritage of displacement, and the ethnic cleansing of his ancestral family. As an Acadian, how could I resist joining in on this exploration?

I'm about a third of the way through and am enjoying it thus far. There are so many books out there just waiting to be discovered. What book has engaged your interest this summer??

Pace e bene,