Have you ever felt like a book was talking to you? You can’t technically hear it saying words but somehow you have a feeling it’s calling you to open it up and give it a read?
Our house is an old craftsman style home. The upstairs is this cozy little nook with slanted ceilings and more than a hundred years of charm. It’s way too hot in the summer and way too cold in the winter, just list a charming old house is meant to be. A space of many uses, our nook is the play room, occassional guest room, and was also where we had the nursery for both of our babies.
It’s also the library.
At the top of the stairs is a ledge where Tim and I keep our favorite books. Recently, one of those books started “talking” to me.
For the past few months, every time we’ve headed upstairs to play tea party, rocket ship, or dinosaurs, I’ve felt Sue Monk Kidd’s The Book of Longings asking me to pick her up. To read her again.
I could feel she had something to tell me.
After this happened a few times, I finally brought the book down and set it next to my bed. Each morning and night, I’d feel the book, “Read me! There’s something in here you need to hear.”
I kept resisting in favor of phone scrolling, TV watching, and late night work sessions. Until this past Saturday. When I unhooked my eyes from all the screens and cracked open The Book of Longings to read for the second time.
Isn’t it so magical how you can read the same words in a book, hear the same song, or watch the same movie at two different times in your life and deeply connect to something entirely new the second time? People always say, “you never forget your first” but dang… sometimes the second is pretty amazing! I love when this happens.
It didn’t take me very long to stumble upon something that rocked my world.
A few pages into the book, 14-year old Ana is gifted a prayer bowl from her aunt Yaltha.
Yaltha instructs, “You must write your prayer in the bowl…But take care what you ask for, for you shall surely receive it.”
WHOA. Read it again (I know I needed to).
Take care what you ask for, for you shall surely receive it.
If you knew you’d surely receive it… what would you ask for?
I’ve been asking myself this since I read that line in the book. I’m still not sure exactly how to answer this question! But I’m so grateful to be asking it.
In only a few days, the depth of the question has helped me to…
>>> Release so many “wishes” from a place of uninformed comparison (i.e. I wish I had what she has… I wish that was me).
If I knew I’d surely get it, is that actually what I’d ask for? It’s been powerful to question as I scroll through IG and notice the thoughts that pop up in my mind. I don’t personally believe that thinking “I wish I had that” means I’ll get it, but I do (1) believe that our thoughts create our feelings and our feelings impact how we show up for and experience our life; and (2) believe in the power of prayer.
What is the cost to my life, my purpose, my soul if I’m constantly longing for things that I don’t truly even desire? I’m glad I’m being curious with this.>>> Dig deep down into my soul to ask… what do I truly long for?
This question feels so different to me when I think about actually receiving. I want to live life with hope, trust, and faith: Aligning my longings with that feels incredibly meaningful.
Suddenly, I’m connected back to myself. My life, purpose, soul.
It’s been a most lovely and unexpected shift. One that I didn’t even know I needed to experience.
I can’t wait to continue reading, to see what else is in the pages ahead for me this second time around.
Perhaps most importantly, I can’t wait to keep asking myself this question:
What would you pray for if you knew that you’d surely receive it?
Hit reply if you’d like to share what’s on your heart today.
