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Introduction

As Summer has drawn to a close, it becomes necessary to hold onto the joy that the season brings – everlasting sunshine, a much-needed break from work or school, or a surprise thunderstorm that lulls you to sleep at night. As seasons change, though, so too must our perspective. As the days get shorter and sunlight begins to dwindle, we may need new avenues for finding joy in our everyday lives. This issue’s Resource section is a compilation of some of the things that have brought us joy, and new perspective this past month. Our hope is that they will bring you joy as well, or at least encourage you to maintain the thread of curiosity that allows us to more deeply understand each other – in all seasons of life.

To Read

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi

Burnt Sugar tells the story of a daughter’s reckoning with the resentment she has toward her mother after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. This novel is about the obligations of family, love, betrayal, and remembrance of the person who was before. It is an exploration of the reverse roles of parent and child and the process of healing through multi-generational trauma.

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

The novel starts in the modern-day, with the main character celebrating her 40th birthday, sitting at her dying father’s bedside. The reader is then taken on a journey through the past in a tasteful, not-so-cheesy way that allows her to visit her father when he was younger. You can’t talk about time travel without speaking about pondering new perspectives, because isn’t that what we constantly think about when asked about time travel? “If you could go back in time, what would you change?” Would we warn those in the past of all the terrible, unprecedented events that are soon going to burn the world down if we don’t change certain things, or would we simply try to continuously hold onto the taste of our loved ones, just as they are? In a beautiful way, this book may serve as a reminder that life isn’t only about the events in history that shape the culture we live in, but more so about the people around us shaping our experiences and the bits of love that we feel from them.

To Listen

Ologies with Alie Ward

If you are curious by nature, Ologies is a delightful and amusing podcast that covers topics that you never knew you wanted to understand. The witty and charismatic host, Alie Ward, provides a humorous take on learning new things. Each episode is informative and encourages you to, as Alie says, “ask smart people stupid questions.”

To Watch

The Moth Presents Stephanie Peirolo: Walking with RJ

Stephanie Peirolo serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Health Care Rights Initiative, a nonprofit providing advocacy and services for patients and caregivers trying to navigate the healthcare system. In her talk, she shares her challenges after her son sustains a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Her story is reflective of so many others who are faced with the hardship of experiencing illness and injury.

To Appreciate

The Optimism of Breakfast by Maira Kalman

Maira Kalman is an illustrator and author who is well-known for her ability to focus on the simplicity of everyday occurrences. The Optimism of Breakfast was published in the July 22, 2013, print issue of The New Yorker and highlights the quite triumph of a simple morning breakfast. Finding joy in the ordinary will keep us going. Good enough is good enough, and that is beautiful. I’ll choose to romanticize the simple pleasures in life, and that is my perspective on delight.