The Gift of Comfort

Let me first start by saying this is not a book review.  Judy Blume does not need me to review anything she has written.  Just her name on something tells us it’s an adolescent classic (although she has written for adults too…which you should check out).

With that said, let me tell you a story.

It starts a few weeks ago.  I was having a terrible, no good, very bad day at work.  So naturally during lunch, I decided to hide from the teacher’s lounge and tweet.  My lovely friend, Lisa*, tweeted back that she was feeling blah-zo too, and that she was also hiding from co-workers and reading a book.

After a little inquiry, she told me she was reading Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume.

I immediately smiled.  I hadn’t read that book since about 4th or 5th grade.  I vividly remember checking that book out of our elementary school library about a million times and feeling sort of scandalous about it each time.  I mean, it’s a book about periods and bras and kissing.

Lisa told me she reads it every time she is feeling down, and immediately decided I needed it too since I hadn’t read it in so long.

It showed up at my front door via a post office volunteer in a Santa hat on Christmas morning.

You should also know that my husband’s paternal grandfather has been sick.  And very early Christmas morning he went to heaven.

Christmas day was filled with family and presents and food and joy.

Once we finally got home and got Eddie in bed, it was almost 9:00pm.  There was nothing on TV and I wasn’t ready to let the day and the thoughts and the finality of it all enter my brain, so I curled up in my chair and read Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret from cover to cover.

It took me right back to my bedroom when I was pre-adolescent and having all the same concerns.  I also had to giggle because back then, the parts about periods and bras seemed longer and more of a big deal.  Reading them now, I realize they really aren’t that shocking.  I still loved getting lost in the familiar story and feeling disconnected to the rest of the world.

When I finished the book and went to bed, reality caught up with me and I had a good cry, but I was left contemplating the power of a great book.

Thank you, Lisa for the wonderful gift.  You gave me the gift of comfort on a day that was chaotic and crazy with a touch of grief.  You gave me an escape from the things I didn’t want to face.  And I can tell you, this book?  Will now be my go-to book when I need to block out life for a while.

What book could you read over and over?

*Lisa is also a reviewer here on Katie’s bookcase.  She blogs over here.