2018 Reading List
Two Thousand Eighteen was my fifth year of compiling books that I have read throughout the year. Unfortunately, it was my worst year of reading. Obviously, my travels for the first part of the year contributed to this, but I really don’t have an excuse as to why I didn’t invest more time reading.
Sure, life gets in the way sometimes, and I definitely had a year of changes and challenges, but that should be the best time for me to pick up a book to learn and grow.
……………………………………………………..
While trekking across the world, a week in Fiji somehow managed its way into the itinerary. Unplanned, but somehow this book ended up in my hands and I just felt like it was something I needed at that time.
The Untethered Soul. The Journey Beyond Yourself. by Michael A. Singer
“The more you are willing to just let the world be something you’re aware of, the more it will let you be who you are – the awareness, the Self, the Atman, the Soul.”
“Consciousness is a tremendously powerful force. When you concentrate on these thoughts and emotions, they become charged with energy and power. This is why thoughts and emotions get stronger the more attention you give them.”
“Only you can take inner freedom away from yourself, or give it to yourself. Nobody else can.”
“All the great teachings reveal the way of the center, the way of balance. Constantly look to see if that’s where you are living or if you are lost in the extremes. The extremes create their opposites; the wise avoid them. Find the balance in the center and you will live in harmony.”
……………………………………………………..
I was told for years that this was a necessary book to add to my reading list. But it wasn’t until I went through some relationship challenges that I finally read this. It provided better understanding into myself and my expectations. I would highly recommend this book, really at any age or stage in life.
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
“It is a love that unites reason and emotion. It involves an act of the will and requires discipline, and it recognizes the need for personal growth. Our most basic emotional need is not to fall in love but to be genuinely loved by another, to know a love that grows out of reason and choice, not instinct. I need to be loved by someone who chooses to love me, who sees in me something worth loving. That kind of love requires effort and discipline. It is the choice to expend energy in an effort to benefit the other person, knowing that if his or her life is enriched by your effort, you too will find a sense of satisfaction – the satisfaction of having genuinely loved another.”
“Love is not the answer to everything, but it creates a climate of security in which we can seek answers to those things that bother us.”
……………………………………………………..
My reading list clearly went to extreme opposites here, haha. But as I was traveling, there were plans to go to Cambodia, and this had been on my Amazon wish list for a while, so when I returned back to the states, this was one of the first books I ordered. I’m glad I did, it provided a lot of history and the details made the story come to life.
I haven’t seen the movie yet, and going through the book again, it didn’t seem right to pull one specific quote that stood out. So, to summarize the book, I’m using one of the review quotes by Dith Pran:
First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung
“Loung has written an eloquent an powerful narrative as a young witness to the Khmer Rouge atrocities. This is an important story that will have a dramatic impact on today’s readers and inform generations to come.”
Dith Pran, whose wartime life was portrayed in the award-winning film The Killing Fields
For 2019, my reading goal is to at least read ten books. I’m off to a pretty good start and have another three books in queue, but as always, would love any and all recommendations!
Wishing you a year full of health, happiness, learning, love, and growth!
Happy New Year!
