Dear Life: To Reach Japan

How's Dear Life going?

Munro is an author to savor, not to read on the beach or the in doctor's office or at the exercise bike. Unless those are your most thoughtful moments. Then go for it.

Heard from someone that the weren't moved by the first stories. I get it. That's why we read variety of books.

These are stories to mull over. To help us focus next Friday, could we try to pick out one story that talked to us? And highlight a sentence or two from that story to read Friday.

Let me tell you what kept going through my head last night at 3 AM. How much Greta (from the first story To Reach Japan) is like me.

Now, I have never done the "Gig with Greg" in the train compartment, nor "Hugged with Harris holding Roses" upon arrival in Toronto.

But I so so so often slip into the very behavior I don't want to do. I catch myself and tell myself, 'Never again.' (Like Greta when she lost Katy on the train, never again would she be irresponsible, cheat on Peter, loose Katy.)

Then faced with temptation that inner voice says, 'It's not so bad.' Greg says to Greta when they are starting their canoodling, 'It isn't us, it's some other people.' The serpent says to Eve as they eyed the apple, 'Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?'

Boom. Rationalization happens. I eat another cookie. I spread a little gossip. Greta falls into Harris' arms. Eve takes a bite.

Look downward.  Katy's hand is free from her mother's once again. Collateral damage.

Oh man.

And we feel for Greta. She has lived stifled. "That's what I do. I save myself up, most of the the time. Careful with Katy, careful with Peter."  Her thoughts on judgement at the party. She really did try to be a good mom to Katy.

Well, anyway. Thank you Munro for this glimpse into Greta's mind.