Lessons learned in a disaster
“You realize that life has to be lived well or is not worth living"
My favorite read this week comes from Garden & Gun magazine. Michael Farris Smith, an author in Mississippi, reflects on the lessons he learned from his beloved Lab mix, Black. It reminded me how animals anchor us during uncertain times, always there and always happy for our presence no matter how chaotic the world gets.
“He was quietly teaching me. Teaching me to be still. To leave your feet right where they are and not run. Trust in what your gut is telling you,” writes Smith.
I promise you’ll finish this story with a warm and fuzzy fondness for the things that make a home. Read for yourself.
Good Reads
How Florence, Italy is ‘healing, not broken’ (The Florentine magazine)
A must read for any fellow Italy lovers out there, The Florentine magazine is out with a special digital edition, “Healing Not Broken.”
“Humanism, of course, had its home in Renaissance Florence and, now more than ever, rational thinking, collectivity and experience inform a code for us to live by,” writes editor in chief Helen Farrell. “The city we love so deeply has endured the plague, conspiracies, floods and bombings. Florence will endure this challenge, too.”
What the coronavirus can teach us about hope (Rebecca Solnit, The Guardian)
“You realize that life has to be lived well or is not worth living. It’s a very profound transformation that takes place during catastrophes.”
Finding moments of joy in the middle of a pandemic (Ryan Howes, SELF)
One Good Podcast
Adding a bonus section this week for a good listen. This week, it’s a new podcast from The New York Times called “Sugar Calling.” Author Cheryl Strayed interviews famous writers and authors about life, inspiration—and how they are processing what’s going on in the world. I recommend starting with the George Saunders episode.
We made it another week. Thanks for reading! As always, let me know what you think and what you’re reading.
Until next time / Be well,
Taylor