Gift from the Sea - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Synopsis

In this inimitable, beloved classic—graceful, lucid and lyrical—Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment as she set them down during a brief vacation by the sea. Drawing inspiration from the shells on the shore, Lindbergh’s musings on the shape of a woman’s life bring new understanding to both men and women at any stage of life. A mother of five, an acclaimed writer and a pioneering aviator, Lindbergh casts an unsentimental eye on the trappings of modernity that threaten to overwhelm us: the time-saving gadgets that complicate rather than simplify, the multiple commitments that take us from our families. And by recording her thoughts during a brief escape from everyday demands, she helps readers find a space for contemplation and creativity within their own lives.

So, this book.  I had a love-hate relationship with it.  There are some really good points/themes in there.  I mean, really great ones.  I highlighted a lot in this book.  That said, I had a problem connecting with it.  I don't really know why.  Maybe it's because I can't imagine sitting on the beach for a week, contemplating shells.  Maybe I just got tired of the shell theme and just wanted to get the information she was presenting.   While at first I thought the shell reference was interesting, by the end it was grating on my nerves a bit.

I would almost have to force myself to open this book, but once I did, I would get sucked into it and find myself nodding in agreement and giving virtual high fives to her. I can't really put my finger on what my issue was with it but I didn't love it.  I liked it.  I liked it quite a bit but I didn't love it.  

So now let me point out some of the great things about this book and why you may want to read it. This book was written in the 50's but it is still so relevant and applicable today. The author spends time talking about the need to slow down and simply our lives. She also talks about how important it is to take time for yourself and be creative (in whatever your preferred outlet may be - cooking, painting, etc) and how this isn't something that should be ignored or compromised.  She discusses the different phases of life (through the story of shells, collected on the beach) and she does it beautifully.  She has a way with words and does a fantastic job of turning a lovely phrase. She especially relates this book to mothers but I think it is applicable to everyone.