You have to love books. They're the only place in the world where the contractor wears dress shirts and turns out to be an architect who quit out of principle. Also, you discover he spent hours upon hours talking with your grandmother in her shop. #onlyinabook#

Contrary to the assumptions of some, these aren't typically the books I've read over the years. I love Shakespeare, Poe, and most anything that will leave me surprised, crying and thinking beautiful. I want it to mirror life, and so far, I don't know that many perfectly happy endings. I never can seem to tell how life is going to turn, and I don't want to be able to see the story plotted out in my book or film either. I also tend to read and watch movies from the perspective of a writer, writing for an audience. I read all of the characters that way, keeping in mind that the writer is going to want to endear us to certain characters and turn things. I am most impressed by a film that can take a character, give us mixed feelings about them, maybe even make us dislike them for some very real and honest reason, and by the end, endear us to that person.

That said, I'm reading a book right now that I bought because it was a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" deal. It was the free one. The cover was cute. It's called "The Secret Life of Dresses." I figured, why not. The writer didn't impress me from the start. In fact I thought, I'm better than this. Which gave me hope that maybe I really could get a book published. But, she's winning me over in the simplicity and charm of the story. It's sweet and all too nicely put together, but I figure, who knows, maybe this is what I need right now. One thing I know is the Lord has been so faithful over the years to have me reading the right book, or have the right song come on the radio that was exactly what I needed to make me hold on. It's always been in unexpected places too... which I think just goes to show how much He knows me. (Silly to say huh? But it's true and more real than we stop to really understand- He knows us, how we work and how we need to be met.) I love surprises. I love the beauty in the unexpected, the un-perfect in a sense. I like the stories that are breathtaking and lovely for all their little details and messes and imperfections that make them so perfect. I don't know how else to explain it, but I know my story won't have a white horse and a mysterious knight. Tyson said something last night that sparked probably one of the truest things I've recognized about myself in a while, I don't need perfect, I need a fighter. One of my favorite films is Cinderella Man. It's a mess and a battle and heartbreaking along the way, but they fight together and it's beautiful. I'm terrified when people talk about our economy and all the turmoil many predict that's still to come, but I also can't help think of the 30's and some of the beauty that came from it, as opposed to most of today, where we want perfect and clean and easy and exciting. We want to buy adventures, and house cleaners, and meals on the go.

Sorry, this post is all over, but so were my thoughts this morning as I read this charming little book on the bus and listened to the man behind me snore.