Book Club

My book club is better than your book club. And I would bet everyone in a circle like ours feels the same.

There is a kind of grace that shows up when women keep a date with each other and a good, or not-so-good, book.

Sure, we bring our thoughts on the latest read, but mostly, we bring our real lives, which is better than any prize-winning work.

At our last gathering, I looked around the room. Heads tipped back in laughter, the kind that loosens the shoulders.

I felt lucky.

Our stories are very different, which is what makes weeknights together so entertaining.

Some in our circle have survived what breaks most people.

Still standing.

Still loving.

Still here.

Their scars run deep, and somehow, they look like a gallery of God’s art.

Breathtaking.

Some could talk until the bricks of a cathedral turn to dust.

To watch them share is AWEsome.

Literally.

An open and giving heart is a sight to behold.

Welcoming.

Some laugh easily and loudly.

With laughs that sound like music.

Ethereal, yet raucous.

A melody that must reverberate in heaven.

Life-giving.

Some are quiet, but their eyes do the talking.

Saying:

“I am happy to be here.”

“I found my people.”

And when they do speak, joy pours out.

Their words feel like a small, decadent dessert.

Something to savor.

Then there is me.

At times, I share.

But my favorite part of book club is sitting back and observing.

Gratitude rises.

Respect too.

And awe.

Lots of awe.

We do not carry the same chapters, but we share a common history as women.

Maybe this is why a simple weeknight gathering can heal us.

At every gathering, I remember that showing up is a kind of prayer, because I know that God meets us in chairs pulled close and stories told out loud.

And we leave fed, not only by the host’s excellent meal, but also by time with old and new friends, making room in our busy lives to devote a little time to the sisterhood.

Simply magical.

“A faithful friend is sure shelter; anyone who finds one possesses a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price; there is no possible way to measure his worth.” (Sirach 6:14-15)