We are going on to our 17th year,. We met at Grace’s home and read Kathy’s book pick of "The Secret Life Of Sunflowers" by Marta Molnar, Dana Marton.
As always there was an abundance of food and I can’t remember all the details as it’s been a rough year. I made soup and Grace made sandwiches. Others brought deserts. Grace led the discussion and we covered a lot of territory.
I picked this book because it was about a real person and included Vincent Van Gogh which fascinated me. "The Secret Life of Sunflowers" is the true story of Johanna Bonger who was the sister-in- law to Vincent Van Gogh. A story about a strong woman who became the catalyst in getting Vincent discovered by the world after his death. I think everyone really enjoyed the book.
I was inspired by all the saying throughout the book, namely:
"Refusals will not kill me. Ridicule will not kill me. My feelings might be hurt... but I will not die. I will keep trying. I will live in gratitude, my face pointed toward the light".
"Sunflowers are adaptable... The worse the soil, the bigger they flower. They're scrappy as hell".
“I imagine happiness like needlepoint. Dots of color, precious moments placed next to each other as time passes, small joys doled out over a lifetime.”
“The meaning of life is to live it.”
“All are made exceptional by necessity,”
“Decisions made in haste are repented at leisure.”
“You succeed by not failing.”
And I really like this one:
“If you hear a voice within say you cannot do something, then by all means, do that thing, and that voice will be silenced.”
(A quote from Theodore Roosevelt that inspired the author to write the book). "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can"
Next meeting is January 15 at Linda’s and we will read "Forest of Obsessions" by Kate Gable.
Kathy G
