The Secret Life of Bees

I just read the book The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

What I love about reading books, stories, etc., is that they have a completely unique effect on each person. When you read a book, you bring to it all of your life and experiences. You relate to the book by what you know, your beliefs. And how the story affects you could be completely different from how it affects the next person. Something that could make you cry could make another person laugh. Reading a story is an experience, at least for me. I develop relationships with the characters, relating to some, disliking others and hoping the best for others. I remember situations I have been in in my life that are similar to what the characters are going through or I put myself in their position, trying to think how I would behave. I laugh, cry and crinkle my brow when necessary. I could not completely relate to everything in this book but I thought about it and I related on an emotional level, but not to the experiences.

This book is very well written. What I love about it is that it is so real. It does not try to hide the ugly truth that exists yet shows that beauty can come from even the ugliest of situations. It taught me to be open to life and to think outside of the box. We can find happiness in the most unexpected places, we just have to be open to it.

I read, and really like the quote "The mind is like a parachute, it works best when opened" by Frank Zappa. I thought it fit to part of the moral I made of this story and serves as a great life philosophy.