Tuesday 14 October 2014

Breathing Room - Book Review


I'm taking part in Revell Publisher's blog tour for upcoming titles and this one really caught my eye.
"Breathing Room" and the tagline - letting go so you can really live - I found very appealing.  Thinking of most of the women I know, we could all use a bit of breathing room at some time, rather than being swamped in the endless to do's that seem to litter our days.
So I embarked on reading this with great anticipation.   Amazon wrote  "An honest conversation that helps women transform their feelings of failure and shame into a grace-filled life of self-care and self-compassion."  
It's a big statement for Tankersley to live up to and I did in fact find that this book did deliver an honest conversation.  Tankersley writes with candid honesty which I found somewhat refreshing.  She describes her own personal struggles and manages to do so without sounding self-pitying and there was an element of humour to her work. I found myself smiling at some of the situations she described herself in.  However, when I had finished the book, I can't say I felt directed in any way towards helping myself transform any feelings of failure or shame in to a grace-filled life of self-care and self-compassion.  Tankersley delivers a narrative of how she managed to do so, treating herself with a lot more care and making sure she put her own needs first. 
Tankersley also embraces the concepts laid out in twelve step programs and mentions our need to develop a relationship with God.  I was unsure whether this was supposed to be a Christian author or not as there is little biblical reference throughout, but more the secular view of building relationship with God, however you understand Him.  For that reason, I think this would be a popular read with a much broader audience than Christian women.
I enjoyed reading her narrative and was encouraged to see how she'd tackled her own difficulties but I can't say this book lives up to it's title or it's promises, and found it told how one woman overcame her depression and difficulties by becoming more self-nurturing.    

Thursday 9 October 2014

Care

Taking part in Five Minute Friday over at Kate Motaung's page.  Click the link and join us.  Today we're writing for 5 minutes, unedited and without worry with a prompt word

CARE

I care about you.  I care about what happens to you, how your day goes, when you're happy and when you're sad.  I care when you tell me you're feeling a bit teary, and the news has got you down a bit.  I hear you rally and your spirits regain momentum as you say you'll get your fighting head on, that it hasn't got you beaten.  I feel the distance so incredibly deeply and I care that I'm not there.  I care that I can't see you face to face daily and share this with you there, instead of from here on distant shores.  You are brave, you are strong, you are an incredible inspiration to me.  I thank you for birthing me in to being and I care about this brilliant life.  I care about you.

for my mum