In the first chapter of Help, Thanks, Wow, Lamott says, “If I were going to begin practicing the presence of God for the first time today, it would help to begin by admitting the three most terrible truths of our existence: that we are so ruined, and so loved, and in charge of so little.” It is a decision, often instinctive, to move over that fear. Choosing to pray, on the other hand, is a conscious act of faith, of trust. So much prayer (or perhaps, my prayer) stems from a deep well of fear, imagining all the things that could go wrong. Not only that, she adds humor to her insights about life, love, and most recently, grandmotherhood. She admits to her flaws and owns up to her struggles, trusting her reader to side with her rather than against her. Lamott does spiritual writing better than most gurus on the subject, and the reason is that she lets her guard down. Perhaps that’s why I felt so eager to read Anne Lamott’s Help, Thanks, Wow. I’m not really comfortable handing out that kind of information. Ask me what I pray about, and you’re asking for me to reveal my biggest hopes and fears, the parts of myself I struggle with most. Prayer, for me, has always been very private. Even if you haven’t read the book, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the meaning of prayer. This is the first installment of our February book club discussion of Anne Lamott’s, Help, Thanks, Wow.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |