I was reading into the night. This time it was The Saffron Kitchen by Yasmin Crowther. I listen to what people have to say, and this book came recommended by a colleague. And I was not surprised at how easily I was drawn into this book, with no sense that I was just wasting my time.
I hate that, when I'm into a book about 50 pages or more and I think, what am I doing with my time? Each of us has our own reasons for reading. It may be to enlarge our world, or experiences, to find a kindred soul who is adept at putting into words the feelings we have, therefore validating them. It may be for educational reasons. I want to understand a situation, an event or just learn how to do something. Sometimes it's a great story. I also read for humor. If I can find a funny story or read a funny memoir then it is worth my time. Laughter is very important to me.
Do I need another person to validate my feelings? No, but sometimes just the way another person can say it or write it somehow helps me to remember, or to value the thought or experience. I have read many books on the experience of living or caring for a person with dementia. At first I thought I should record all the craziness that was happening, but I didn't. Time was short, or too awful to dwell on. But I do understand when someone else has written it down for me to read, and maybe to understand a little more. I never can forget Nancy Reagan saying that Alzheimer's is like a "long goodbye", and that is it exactly. In the beginning there was humor, and gentleness, and lack of stress on the person who was sick. But it can go on and on and become the truly nightmare that it is. There is such a thing as living too long. The suffering takes its toll on everyone. And it often kills the spouse.
Back to The Saffron Kitchen. The story is told through the eyes of the mother and daughter. Mother is an Iranian English immigrant. The daughter is born in England, with an English dad. The story jumps back and forth in time, and from each different perspective. There is some history, the mother comes to age during the Iranian revolution. She is forced to leave her family. Can we really understand another culture? No, but we try.
I hate that, when I'm into a book about 50 pages or more and I think, what am I doing with my time? Each of us has our own reasons for reading. It may be to enlarge our world, or experiences, to find a kindred soul who is adept at putting into words the feelings we have, therefore validating them. It may be for educational reasons. I want to understand a situation, an event or just learn how to do something. Sometimes it's a great story. I also read for humor. If I can find a funny story or read a funny memoir then it is worth my time. Laughter is very important to me.
Do I need another person to validate my feelings? No, but sometimes just the way another person can say it or write it somehow helps me to remember, or to value the thought or experience. I have read many books on the experience of living or caring for a person with dementia. At first I thought I should record all the craziness that was happening, but I didn't. Time was short, or too awful to dwell on. But I do understand when someone else has written it down for me to read, and maybe to understand a little more. I never can forget Nancy Reagan saying that Alzheimer's is like a "long goodbye", and that is it exactly. In the beginning there was humor, and gentleness, and lack of stress on the person who was sick. But it can go on and on and become the truly nightmare that it is. There is such a thing as living too long. The suffering takes its toll on everyone. And it often kills the spouse.
Back to The Saffron Kitchen. The story is told through the eyes of the mother and daughter. Mother is an Iranian English immigrant. The daughter is born in England, with an English dad. The story jumps back and forth in time, and from each different perspective. There is some history, the mother comes to age during the Iranian revolution. She is forced to leave her family. Can we really understand another culture? No, but we try.
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