My grandma lived through ‘unprecedented’: This is what I would ask her

Published on by Sara Brunsvold1 Comment

 

My grandmother’s generation is commonly called The Greatest Generation. They, too, faced “unprecedented” crisis in this country — more than once.

Their formative years happened during the Great Depression, when their parents taught them to conserve everything and waste nothing.

Their young adult years happened during World War II, when the government asked them to sacrifice pleasures, liberties and even their lives for the sake of the common good. Rationing of food, metal, rubber and other essential everyday supplies was an accepted part of their existence, as was widespread loss of the nation’s fathers, uncles, brothers and cousins.

Their generation willingly suspended their rights so that the country would be stronger as a whole. Continue reading “My grandma lived through ‘unprecedented’: This is what I would ask her” →

Did you know about these literary holidays for book lovers?

Published on by Sara BrunsvoldLeave a comment

Reading matters.

Books enliven our imaginations, improve our vocabulary, challenge our capacity to empathize, teach us knew things, and generally make us better people.

Did you know America has a PLETHORA of holidays that celebrate reading? One of many reasons I love this country.

Here are some literary holidays you too may be interested in adding to your calendar for an excuse to keep reading all year long:

 

January

Fourth Wednesday in January – Library Shelfie Day: Founded by the renowned New York Public Library. Participants arrange their book collection on a shelf, snap a picture and share on social media.

 

February

February 14 – Library Lovers Day: Honor your favorite library, librarian or bookworm.

Continue reading “Did you know about these literary holidays for book lovers?” →

Am I wasting my freedom to write? | A challenge from “The Storyteller” by Jodi Picoult

Published on by Sara Brunsvold2 Comments

Jodi Picoult’s “The Storyteller” is a hefty hardback boasting well over 450 pages. I picked it up primarily because it centers on a 20-something woman named Sage who forms an unlikely bond with a 90-something man named Josef.

The story promised to strum every heart string I have as a reader: contemporary fiction, intergenerational friendship, a life story revealed, a younger person all the wiser because of it. Yes, please!

But about 100 pages in, I realized this book was going to take me to places I had not anticipated. “The Storyteller” proved to be a challenge that sliced right to my writing soul.

Turns out, there’s a third character to this story who encompasses a large swath of those 450 pages: Sage’s grandmother, Mika, a Holocaust survivor. Continue reading “Am I wasting my freedom to write? | A challenge from “The Storyteller” by Jodi Picoult” →

To the older women who helped shape me

Published on by Sara BrunsvoldLeave a comment

My life is an accumulation. A fruitful gleaning of wisdom from all of you who have gone before.

You are the older women who helped shape me.

You noticed a young, fumbling woman and said, “Walk with me.”

You may not have used actual words, but your actions said exactly that: “Walk with me.”

Patiently you taught me to work, to “adult,” to worship, to persevere, to learn, to believe. To forgive. To let go. To hold my head high in the confidence of my true identity.

You helped shape the woman I am today, and you laid the groundwork for the woman I’ll be tomorrow. Continue reading “To the older women who helped shape me” →

Barriers and Blessings of Biblical Discipleship: A Big Sister’s Perspective

Published on by Sara Brunsvold6 Comments

Last week, my friend Annie McGuire hosted me on her blog, Daily His Disciple, where I shared the barriers and blessings of biblical discipleship from a younger woman’s perspective (read article here). What a joy to have Annie here on my blog this week sharing the big sister’s perspective! Continue reading “Barriers and Blessings of Biblical Discipleship: A Big Sister’s Perspective” →