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Thankful

Why? Why can't I find a book that wows me? Why? I just finished reading, The Mermaid Chair," by Sue Monk Kidd. I had high expectations because her first novel was, "The Secret Life of Bees" which in fact did wow me. I was hoping for more of the same with this book but I was sorely disappointed. Where her first novel was lyrical and imaginative and poignant, this one was flat, corny and very dull. For one, I hated the main character, Jessie. She was one dimensional and thoroughly unlikeable. The story begins with Jessie feeling restless in her marriage of 20 years. There is no real good reason why she is restless, she just is. For all intents and purposes she loves her husband and they have a great life together. She responds to this restlessness by having an affair with a monk of all people! Ok, lets back up to the feeling restless part: something I can totally relate to. I've always been the restless type but I fail to see how having an affair will solve that - it can only makes things worse right? I mean that's what I would think however, her affair saves her. Ridiculous! I didn't even mention the part where she falls in love with this monk AT FIRST SIGHT! How juvenile is that? I can understand feeling a connection to someone you just met but love? oh please. As you can see, this book angered me. I guess I was expecting to much. I also feel as if the author believes her readers to be the naive, gullible type.  Is it too hard to ask for a novel to be real; true to real life? Apparently it is because the last few books I have read have left me restless...hmmmm maybe I should go out and cheat on my husband with a man of the cloth? Yea, that's realistic huh? Maybe I'll feel saved. What a load of crap.

Ok, well with my anger out of the way, lets turn to something happy: Thanksgiving. I love this holiday and it is only 2 days away! I'm excited to drink a lot of wine, eat way too much and enjoy the family time. There is a lot to be thankful for this year  - aside from the obvious: my husband, my family, my cats, my friends, my job and having a roof over my head, I'm thankful for a lot of intangiblers. I'm thankful most of all for my health because I realize what a blessing it really is. One of my best friends from high school has been suffering from cancer for 3 years now so if she can constantly have a positive outlook on life, I can stop complaining about my sore knees for a few seconds. One of my other best friends just lost one of her best friends to alcoholism. Imagine living such a rough life battling such a terrible disease only to lose it so soon? I'm thankful that I can stop at one glass of wine. In my job, I see so many women constantly struggling with weight and body image issues that dominate their every waking minute. I used to be one of them and I feel lucky to be able to tell these women I have been in their shoes. I can tell them I know whats its like to look in the mirror and hate what you see but that it doesn't have to be that way. I'm thankful for the strength I have gained over this year both physical and mental. I'm thankful to have many different talents and feel that I don't have to just do one thing for the rest of my life. Most of all, I'm thankful for the perspective I've gained particularly over the last few months. I feel very lucky. Happy Thanksgiving and someone find me a decent book please!!!

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