What’s on my nightstand? It’s probably no surprise that I have The Bible, a lamp, a family picture, reading glasses (because I’ve had to accept the fact that I can’t read without them), a notepad, a pen, and a stack of books. I’m guessing that my nightstand looks much like everyone else’s. The stack of books reflects my latest reading interest. I have a tendency to read a chapter in one or two books each evening based on what I’m in the mood to read on that particular day. While I love fiction and can easily get lost in a good novel, I find that recently I’m more of a non-fiction fan. The stack of books at this moment includes The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni, The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller, and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.
The Four Agreements is a book I recently recommended to my favorite teenager “Mylster.” A handsome young man that happens to be 6’3″ and still growing. He’s constantly asked the same two questions when people first meet him, “How tall are you,” and “Do you play basketball.” He’s not fond of being defined by his height. I suggested that he may need a clever comeback and recommended The Four Agreements as a way to guide his comeback response. I won’t go into details of the book but I will share the four agreements:
- Be Impeccable With Your Words
- Don’t Take Anything Personally
- Don’t Make Assumptions
- Always Do Your Best
While he’s still working on a comeback response, the book has given him a new perspective on the questions he’s being asked and confidence to know that he is defined by the content of his heart and the kind spirit that exudes from his presence. This book also serves as a guiding principle for me at work and in my personal life. I hope you have a chance to read the book and find personal meaning for you.
There’s an OLLI class coming in spring that will discuss a different science book each week for six weeks. I can’t fit the class into my schedule, but I do have all six of the books. Four short dialogues by Plato for a different OLLI class. Some Matt Haig and some John Marrs, two fine authors who I only recently discovered. That might be enough to get me through March.