Borges and Me: An Encounter by Jay Parini

 

“I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love...” Walt Whitman

 What a gift from the universe this book is! I am mesmerized at this encounter. I found Borges and Me in a Free Little Library in the city where I live. If you don’t know what free little libraries are, feel free to learn about them here. This incredible book by Jay Parini was published in the year 2020, but I came across it recently. I did not know anything about its existence.

  Borges and Me starts with the narrator learning about the death of Jorge Luis Borges at age 86 in June, 1986. Strangely enough, Borges’s wife, whom he married a few months before his death, also died at age 86 in the year 2023.

  Her name was Maria Kodama.

   The pain of learning about Borges’s death is palpable. He had met Borges in 1971 and they became friends during the week they spent together in Scotland. The newscaster described Borges as “a writer who blended fact and fiction in a peerless sequence of narratives that defied all boundaries… as a writer, he explored the most idiosyncratic spaces in the human experience, a lover of labyrinths and mirrors, a shapeshifting writer who could never be defined.” From that point on Jay Parini transports us to the year 1970, when he was a young man trying to find his place in the world.

  Originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania, Jay Parini wanted to make a living as a writer. After many conflicts and deliberations, he applied for post-graduate study at the University of St. Andrews, where he was admitted into the doctoral program. His parents supported him reluctantly. They all agreed on one point, however: joining the Vietnam war was not a good idea. The stay in St. Andrews, Scotland, would be a better choice.

   Jay Parini was not sure what his future as a writer would be like, but he had a special interest in writing poetry, and he took it seriously, so, while he was in St. Andrews, somebody introduced him to a poet. His name was Alastair Reid, a man who made translations of Borges’s literary works. Alastair became Jay Parini’s friend and mentor, and he was the one who introduced him to Jorge Luis Borges, who at that time was already blind.

   Alastair asked Jay to stay with Borges for a week. Borges would not be able to stay by himself due to his blindness, and Jay Parini agreed to do so. Jay had a vehicle and Borges asked him if he could tour the Highlands of Scotland with him. Borge was excited to see the places there. “Just to read the map of the Highlands is to recite poetry,” Borges said. “Take me around Scotland. I want to see the Highlands.”

“But you are blind, Borges.”

Borges responded with another question, “Are you blind, too?”

 Parini replied that he was not blind, so Borges responded that he would be his eyes and that they would discover that wonderland together. Borges referred to him as “Giuseppe” because of the poet Giuseppe Parini.

 “We must take the plunge. What we discover, as within any labyrinth, will always be ourselves. Wherever you go, Giuseppe, there is Giuseppe. I go where Borges goes.”

  Off they went on their amazing adventures through Scotland. Every conversation and encounter they had was entertaining and even thought-provoking. Borges had an irresistible sense of humor, and he offered whimsical insights and literary references in the most unexpected situations. The emotional rollercoaster of Jay Parini falling in love with a woman in St. Andrews adds more to the tension and intrigue of this memoir in which Jay Parini discovers that he has a lot in common with Jorge Luis Borges, and sharing their life experiences connects them in mysterious ways.

  It was sad to finish this book. I wanted to stay with these characters, to keep listening to their quaint conversations. I could not get enough of Borges’s wit and eccentricities. Besides, their literary exchanges, which were rooted to their historical context, continue to have relevance in today’s conflicts and social and political situations. It has been truly magical to find this book, and I highly recommend it.

  For Parini, meeting Borges was a life transforming experience, “Our encounter lasted a week or so, but it forced a shift in me, a change of perspective, hitting me at just the right time. And all I knew for sure was that my way of being in the world was never quite the same after Borges.”

  It made me think about how an interaction with somebody can touch and transform us in so many ways when one is open to that change.   

  I marveled at the way Borges navigated his blindness. The richness of his inner world made up for the lack of eyesight. “Like Crusoe, I wished to isolate myself on a remote island, but one must be careful, as they say, of what one wishes for. Blindness is my very own island.” Literature is perhaps the bridge to paths of understanding and meaningful connections, and his fascination for libraries is something that I share with him.

  Borges carried inside himself the sensations of every place he had been to, the stories and poems of every book he had read, the reflections of life experiences and even the frustrations that take a toll on the soul but never stop oneself from moving forward. His inner world manifested in the vibrant memory of what he had seen, read and experienced. He made me laugh a lot throughout this story, and I confess that I wept a couple of times with Borges and Me: at the beginning and close to the end.

   I entered the book with overwhelming curiosity, and I ended it as if floating in a cloud of melancholy, immersed in a sense of longing and intrigued by embers of hope. The night I finished it, my mind was loaded with the vivid landscapes of Scotland and the musical rhythm of the Scottish dance lessons of my childhood, images flashing like lightning, buoying me up in my own world of night dreams.

   I will keep this book to return to it. It continues to haunt me. There is also a book by Borges in my book shelf that I haven’t read yet. It will be part of my list this year.

    

 

 

Addicted to Growth: Societal Therapy for a Sustainable Wellbeing Future by Robert Costanza

                                     

  Two years before he was born, Robert Costanza’s mother lost her baby when she was six months pregnant. It happened in the year 1948 in Donora, Pennsylvania, with the Donora Smog, an environmental disaster that helped to raise awareness on the dangers of air pollution.

 The incident led to 20 immediate deaths in October, 1948, and another 50 deaths took place within the following month. Respiratory problems affected a large fraction of the population. Robert’s mother lost her baby after she got sick with pleurisy and pneumonia.

  This environmental disaster and the unregulated industrial emissions and car exhaust in big cities like Los Angeles and New York sparked an outcry that led to the creation of the Clean Air Act in 1968. Yet these changes were not followed by any long-term plan to build a sustainable economy.

   How can we develop an economy that is not about providing short-term benefits but that evolves to develop a creative plan to address the issues the system perpetuates consistently? These issues are climate and environmental disruption, biodiversity loss, financial instability, inequality and eroding democracies.

    Robert Costanza argues that the GDP or Gross Domestic Product should not be used as an indicator of a healthy economy. Every country uses GDP to assess the health of the economy. The use of the GDP dominates policy goals and consumerism. Yet the GDP is misleading. He explains this thoroughly in his book Addicted to Growth.

 To understand the limited value of the GDP, take a moment to reflect on the true goal of the economy.

       What is the goal of the economy?

 Robert Costanza states that the economy should sustainably improve human wellbeing, and he reminds us that the quality of human life is interdependent with the quality of all life on the planet. On the other hand, what happens when humans are at the service of the economy? What happens if the economy grows at all costs by exploiting the environment, compromising physical and mental human health and causing the extinction of multiple species?

  According to Robert Costanza, "we are trapped in an addictive pattern of behaviors called social traps, or societal addictions, that provide short-term rewards but are detrimental and unsustainable in the long run.” 

 I would argue that it is detrimental right now if you consider the current effects of the climate crisis as I write these words.

  Robert Costanza’s reflections and facts encourage us to get together to create a vision of the kind of world we want. He also sets the strategies to face the addiction through something called Motivational Interviewing (MI), a non-judgmental approach that is based on fostering a positive vision. He describes the elements of the motivational interviewing technique in detail and I highly recommend this chapter. It has the potential to kindle conversations that may help us find common ground with others, and to work toward a shared vision of the future.

Overcoming an addiction

  “It is rarely effective to confront addicts concerning the damage they are causing to themselves and to others.” Denial is the most likely response when an addict is confronted. For this reason, an introspective read of the MI and the application of these elements in different settings may help create a path of understanding and hope.

 The fossil-fueled economic growth and the “economic growth at all costs” model are important aspects of this societal addiction. We must address it in constructive ways. To do this, Robert Costanza invites us to review how we dealt with societal addictions before. For example, he refers to slavery and tobacco as forms of societal addictions.

  How did societies overcome past addictions? He cites the example of slavery in the United States of America as a form of addiction. The American South wanted the profits of slavery, so they refused to abolish it. Even after slavery ended, it took one hundred years for the Civil Rights Movement to take place, and we are still dealing with the aftermath of slavery.

  Tobacco is another example of a societal addiction. Despite the clear evidence of the effects of tobacco on human health, it took fifty years to reduce smoking rates by fifty percent. Why did it take so long?

 

 “It took 50 years for smoking rates to halve in the face of tobacco companies seeking to lobby governments and muddy the waters of scientific evidence. Advocacy, policies, and education can work but in the face of determined opposition it can take a long time.”

  Like the tobacco industry, the fossil fuel industry knew about the dangers in using their products. They were well aware of the links with climate change and the consequences of spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but they used the strategies of the tobacco industry. They invested in ongoing disinformation campaigns and political lobbying to prevent change.  Robert Costanza makes it clear: “In fact, both the tobacco and fossil fuel industries used many of the same scientists, publicists and advertising firms to downplay the dangerous impacts of their products. Both industries continue to work like drug dealers concerned with their own interests by preventing the addiction from being recognized and overcome.”

 On why I read this book by Robert Costanza

  When I read the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, I became intrigued to learn more about ecological economics, so I researched information on the topic and I came across the works of Robert Costanza. I borrowed his book from the library.

  Robert Costanza is Professor of Ecological Economics at the Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP) at University College London (UCL). He is the 2024 winner of the Blue Planet Prize. His work brought global attention to the previously understated importance of ecosystem services. As a co-founder of ecological economics, a new field of study that recognizes that the economy is embedded in society and a finite biosphere, Professor Costanza advocates for an ecologically sustainable wellbeing society. You can learn more about his work by visiting his website:

https://www.robertcostanza.com/

 

 Conclusion

  If you don’t have time to read the whole book, go to chapter 5 and read pages 102, 111 and 112. I hope this will help you to broaden your perspective on the subject and to set new expectations. I would like to ask Robert Costanza what the universities are doing to integrate ecological economics into mainstream economics.

  Finally, Chapter 6 of Addicted to Growth provides a variety of practical ways through which people and countries are already working to build a sustainable, healthy future in harmony with the environment.  We can all be part of this movement to embody the vision and policies that foster the development of sustainable, healthy, happy and fair societies, so I hope I inspired you to you explore his book. Hopefully, Addicted to Growth: Societal Therapy for a Sustainable Wellbeing Future will be shared in high schools and universities. I strongly encourage educators to read it and share it.

  A world of peaceful, healthy coexistence is possible when we create the medium and mindsets to make it possible.  

 

 Relevant links:

https://sph.emory.edu/about/communications/health-wanted/show-notes/episode-fifteen-smoking/index.html

 

https://commonhome.georgetown.edu/topics/climateenergy/defense-denial-and-disinformation-uncovering-the-oil-industrys-early-knowledge-of-climate-change/

 

https://www.greattransition.org/publication/farming-for-a-small-planet

 

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/11/wildfires-los-angeles-climate-crisis-john-vaillant

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to check my writing on Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

Photo by Sebastian Gabriel. Source: unsplash.com

The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl

 

 “What more could anyone ask from a new year than the promise –or just the hope—of renewal?” Margaret Renkl.

  I dare say that hope is not enough. Hope is in desperate need of awareness, reflection and inspiration to make sustainable, empathic choices.

  I was drawn into Margaret Renkl’s world when I learned about her interest in rescueing a sick fox. Margaret Renkl lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she has formed a close bond with the wildlife on her backyard by observing her surroundings.

  The sick fox was probably suffering from mange. Margaret explains that mange is common in suburban foxes because the “manicured” gardens deprive foxes of the sources of food they need to survive. Under normal, healthy conditions foxes’ immune systems may be able to fight off the mites that cause mange, but suburban foxes suffer the consequences of the use of poisons that people use in their gardens. “Manicured” lawns use different poisons, and Margaret Renkl elucidates it in simple terms:

 “Homeowners set out poisons that keep seeds of weeds from germinating. Then they spray a different poison that kills any plants that germinate anyway. Still another poison kills the insects that eat the “desirable” plants. Yet another kills the field mice trying to survive in a place without fields.

“And those poisons end up in the air and the water. They end up in our bodies, linked to asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, autism, and several cancers.” She is distraught to watch the consequences of bluebirds ingesting poisoned insects, and Cooper’s hawks eating those bluebirds.

  I am thankful for this book, for it conveys the information that can make a difference in our communities.

  Over the years I've tried to communicate her message in several ways to different people, but to no avail. I witnessed a massive increase in the use of pesticides and herbicides recently.

  I used to relish the visit of various kinds of bees on the wildflowers in my pollinator garden, and I wrote about bees a few times here. Then in the year 2024 I hardly saw any bees in my garden. It was a lonely experience.

  I contacted a professor of entomology from a reputable university. I was sent multiple scientific papers, which validate my concerns and support the content of My Writing life blog. I have used several books at My Writing Life blog: Awareness, reflection, Inspiration to motivate people to do the right thing, but it has not been enough.

   I still come across the fake “pollinator gardens” with pesticides on the lawn. It is necessary to communicate the message with clarity: a pollinator garden with pesticides on its lawn is NOT a pollinator garden. Pesticides take a toll on the health of pollinators, so let people know that by using pesticides on their lawn they are not creating a pollinator garden. They are doing just the opposite.

  What is not to like about the graceful flight of a monarch butterfly visiting our backyards?

 

  I am thrilled when I come across a toad in the safe haven of our garden. We don’t spray herbicides and pesticides in our yard. In refraining from spraying poisons, we create a little forest of hope in our tiny corner of Mother Earth.

 I could spend hours appreciating the masterpiece of patterns and colors that Mother Nature put together in this toad’s skin…I had never seen a toad like this one before, so I took this photo. Strangely enough, this toad has the smooth skin of a frog. I am enchanted by the beauty and mystery of this amphibian.  

  Did you know that toads can feed on thousands of mosquitoes every summer? Yes, they do eat a variety of insects, and mosquitoes are included in their menu. We don’t have to poison the toads. They are very sensitive to the chemicals humans use in their gardens. We need the toads to do what they are expected to do in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystems where we can all thrive without poisoning our water, air and soil.  

  With climate change getting worse, no repellent will be able to deal with the consequences of the proliferation of mosquitoes. Diseases such as Dengue and West Nile encephalitis, which are transmitted by mosquitoes, are rising steadily.

  Mosquitoes are part of the source of food for toads and spiders, and we need toads and spiders in the web of life, but the use of pesticides and herbicides are destroying their lives, and, in the process, we are suffering the consequences of this lack of judgment. The bats are also in need of protection, and I explained this before here.

  The gist of The Comfort of Crows

 The Comfort of Crows is akin to a personal journal in which Margaret Renkl shares her connection with wildlife and her concerns over what we humans are doing to the environment and to ourselves. There are threads of her personal life interwoven into her narrative, but the charm of her book lies in her observations of wildlife and her response to her setting. In other words, she shares her poetical musings and the practical ways in which she tries to support what remains amid the destruction caused by irrationality, denial and neglect.

  The limitations of her actions did not stop Margaret Renkl from making choices that leave sparks of hope for the reader.  

   She contemplates the wonders of the four seasons, marveling at the lives of the creatures that surround her. She also shares the grief that emerges from watching nature closely. The effects of climate change and the multiple poisons that people use in their “manicured” gardens are evident.

   I think we should start calling them gardens of death or doom instead of using the word “manicured” gardens to refer to the abuse of such chemicals.

    It was also heartbreaking to read about the loss of some of the trees in her own garden, which took place after the happily married couple next to her backyard died. The builders came with their equipment and harmed the roots of her own old trees.

  As you know, the roots of trees do not understand anything about property lines, so the parts of the roots that were harmed in her neighbors’ home killed her trees altogether.

  The thoughtless actions of these builders could be used as a metaphor and a symbol of the lack of awareness and empathy in certain human behaviors.

 

Trees are not just trees

   Trees provide the oxygen we need to survive. They provide relief from the intense summer heat and protect the soil from erosion. Trees are not just trees, but they are also the organisms that live in them. Furthermore, trees supply the dead leaves that feed the soil, the leaves that form the shelter on the ground to various living beings belonging to complex ecosystems that support our own life on earth, and all these creatures play necessary roles in the precious web of life. You may not see them, but they are there and they need those dead leaves on the ground.  

 

 

  Using mathematics to spark awareness

   You will encounter people who don’t understand that destroying the environment is bad for the economy. I come across them often. We are responsible for helping them understand that supporting the health of ecosystems makes our economies stronger, and we have to make clear that destroying ecosystems is shattering economies across the world. To do so, we can use the power of mathematics. I can give a few examples here:

   A single bat can eat 3,000 insects in one night. Bats contribute one million dollars a year to Thailand’s economy by helping to reduce the loss of rice crops. In the United States of America, bats save three billion dollars every year by protecting corn and cotton crops. In addition to being pollinators, bats’ droppings are effective fertilizers. Poisoning their sources of food is a very bad idea.

  More than 80 percent of the leading 115 major crop species worldwide depend on or partially benefit from floral visitation by animal pollinators. Pollination by animals contribute to an estimated 35 percent of global total crop production. Globally, the animal value of insect pollination of plants was estimated to be around 190.5 billion U.S. dollars.

  In addition to addressing the massive use of pesticides and herbicides, we have to acknowledge and tackle the climate crisis. Climate change will continue to increase the price of food. In 2023 extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and floods were the main disruptors of food prices, even though the mainstream media has failed to report this critical issue consistently. These events caused widespread damage to crops and livestock globally.

 Rice, for example, cannot get efficiently self-pollinated in hotter temperatures. Extreme heat degrades the grain quality and reduces its yield.

 Severe weather patterns degrade the quality of our produce. Heat waves scorch fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, an excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affects the micronutrient content of produce.  The elevated levels of carbon dioxide led to a decrease in the root uptake of nutrients by the plants according to research. A decline in the content of minerals in the plants, such as zinc, potassium, nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and copper due to high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been well documented.

 Severe weather events are expensive reasons for crop loss: for example, 118.7 billion dollars in 2021-2022 were lost in crops value.

  In the year 2024, 500 billion dollars were lost in damages in the United States of America due to extreme weather events according to a report by AccuWeather. To understand how disaster events are on the rise, it may be helpful to check the graph from this link of Yale Connections:

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/01/u-s-billion-dollar-weather-disasters-set-an-all-time-record-in-2023-with-28/

 

 The artworks in this post and my final message

   I have shared some of the delightful artworks included in the book. The artist who created the masterpieces is Billy Renkl, Margaret’s brother.

   I will close this post with a quote by Margaret Renkl, because it summarizes what she tries to communicate in The Comfort of Crows:

     “I rejoice in what is eternal, even as I force myself to face what is not, to let my heart be broken again and again and again. The very least I owe my wild neighbors is a willingness to witness their struggle, to compensate for their losses in every way I can, and to speak on their behalf about all the ways I can’t.”

Here’s a video about the differences between toads and frogs and how you can protect them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF0EWfbevrM

 I also invite you to learn about Dr. Tyrone Hayes's story:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp-Bvp2oOyQ

 Feel free to share this blog post with your friends. Let’s create ripples of hope and positive changes for the New Year.

 

 Photo of fox is by Scott Walsh. Source: Unsplash.com

    Relevant links:

https://xerces.org/press/new-report-finds-that-bumble-bees-have-undergone-dramatic-declines

https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/pollination-loss-removes-healthy-foods-from-global-diets-increases-chronic-diseases-causing-excess-deaths/

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/03/we-need-to-talk-about-food-prices/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8803495/

 https://www.beyondpesticides.org

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/26/us-farmers-embracing-wildflowers-prairie-strips-erosion-pollinators

 

If you enjoyed this blog post, feel free to check my writing on the following books:

 Sweet in Tooth and Claw by Kristin Ohlson

What a Bee Knows by Stephen Buchmann

Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid by Thor Hanson

Volcanic Adventures in Tonga by Ann Goth

Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer

 

“What art of waiting is practiced by the mosses, crisped and baking on the summer oak? They curl inward upon themselves, as if suspended in daydreams. And if mosses dream, I suspect they dream of rain.” Robin Wall Kimmerer

  Did you know that many mosses may lose up to 98 percent of their water content and still survive for years? Once they receive the water they need, they thrive once again, but this is not the most interesting fact about the tiny plants that lack stems, flowers and fruits. There are many quirks that make them unique and essential to the ecosystems.

 After reading Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book you will never look at mosses the same way.

  Contrary to popular belief, there is no scientific evidence to prove that mosses damage shingles or that they are responsible for leakages in roofs. Yet people continue to waste money on chemicals to remove moss, and in doing so, they ignore the benefits of moss:

 “A mossy roof can protect shingles from the cracking and curling caused by intense exposure to the sun. Moss adds a cooling layer in the summer and, when the rains come, slows storm water runoff.” Therefore, it is unnecessary and even deleterious to remove it.

  I became interested in Gathering Moss soon after I read Braiding Sweetgrass by the same author. However, I was skeptical about whether a book about moss would hold my interest. Oh, boy, I was wrong to doubt myself. This book was even more engaging than Braiding Sweetgrass!

  I was entranced.

  I appreciate books that open up my views to new perspectives of understanding the world around me. I fell into a magical trance of musings and knowledge. This unique book seems to make time come to a halt; reading it is an adventure of exploration, yet it provides a space for reflection and meditation, a sanctuary amid our fast-paced world, a reminder to reconnect with our natural roots and the precious acts of observing that which is often ignored or taken for granted.

  Gathering Moss will take you on an adventure of research and exploration through experiences that make you feel you are by the author’s side, wading through the waters of a river to observe the details around you, rolling up your sleeves to do the work your project calls for to unearth the secrets that lie hidden before your eyes.

  These secrets display the ways in which the lives of mosses are intertwined with those of other living beings. It takes an open mind to comprehend the intimate bond that develops between the rocks and the mosses, the shelter mosses create for other tiny creatures, the material they become for the nests of birds. 

 Moss plays necessary roles: they purify streams and maintain the humidity of microenvironments that are vital to many living beings. They belong to the vital architecture of the forests, helping to maintain the health of a forest and the organisms that are part of it.

    

 

 Mosses are small, but being small does not make them unsuccessful. Robin Wall Kimmerer explains the ways in which being small has helped mosses. Mosses inhabit almost every ecosystem on earth, and more than 22,000 species of them exist. They thrive in micro-communities where being big would be a disadvantage:

 “Between the cracks of the sidewalk, on the branches of an oak, on the back of a beetle, or on the ledge of a cliff, mosses can fill in the empty spaces left in between the big plants. Beautifully adapted for life in miniature, mosses take full advantage of being small, and grow beyond their sphere at their peril."

 I recommend Gathering Moss to educators as well. Like Braiding Sweetgrass, it is an invaluable resource to awaken students to the interconnections that make up life on earth...

   The solstice is coming up. I consider the solstice a time for reflection and silent contemplation.

   I feel thankful for the incredible work done by the librarians and for the fascinating public libraries, which support our work as educators. Without the work of librarians My Writing Life blog: Awareness, Reflection, Inspiration would not exist. My heart is filled with gratitude for them.

  Next, I want to express that I am thankful for my loved ones. Thank you for keeping the interest in my writing alive. Without their love this blog would not exist.

   My Writing Life blog does not promote books. It promotes a love for reading books. It offers a space to feel invigorated by knowledge. It attempts to inspire readers to observe and learn something new, to be thankful for what exists and for what remains, and to encourage readers to keep moving forward in constructive and creative ways.

  I look forward to another year of sharing the amazing energy that comes from reading good books.

  Finally, I want to thank you, dear visitor, for reading my words. I hope you find a sanctuary here, a space of awareness, reflection and inspiration.

 If you want to support my writing, feel free to share a blog post that you love with your friends.

    Happy Solstice everyone, whether you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.

        Thank you for visiting My Writing Life blog: Awareness, Reflection, Inspiration.

                      Till next year.

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1lU29SHA9E

 

Love in Defiance of Pain: Ukrainian Stories

 

   PEN America and the Tompkins Agency for Ukrainian Literature in translation have published this book of short stories. The proceeds from the sale of the book are donated to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

  Ukrainians are fighting for their independence because they do not want to live under Vladimir Putin’s Orwellian regime. I wrote about Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia when I wrote about Oleg Sentsov, so you can check my post if you haven't done so. Ukraine was invaded by Russian forces on February 24, 2022, and since then Ukrainians have been fighting to protect their democracy from the forces of Vladimir Putin.

 Love in Defiance of Pain contains eighteen short stories and an insightful introduction by Adam Higginbotham. His words capture the spirit of resilience of the Ukrainian people and bring to light some of the historical information that helps us to understand the characters and plots.

  Many of the short stories transport us to Ukraine, revealing aspects of her history and culture. However, not all of them take place in Ukraine. For example, “Frogs in the Sea” by Tanja Maljartschuk unfolds in Austria, where an undocumented Ukrainian man befriends a senior woman with dementia. The ending was shocking because it reminded me of the ways meaningful acts of kindness are sometimes treated with distrust and disrespect due to a combination of prejudices, cruelty and ignorance.

   Many of the stories are realistic, but there are a few of them that contain elements of fantasy or that are surreal. The anthology is like a box of artisan chocolates to be enjoyed slowly. Some of the stories are nostalgic. Some are peculiar and engaging. There are two or three stories that I found boring. I think there is something for everybody here, because the stories are all different. Some of them have shocking, unexpected endings. Others have an ending where you least expect it.

  One of my favorite stories is by Natalka Sniadanko: “When to Start, What Not to Pay Attention to, or How to Fall in Love with George Michael.” It is quirky and humorous. On the other hand, I did not like the one by Vasyl Makhno, which takes place in New York. In this disturbing story the men are portrayed as helpless victims and the women are the hopeless deceivers. There is no love in defiance of pain here. It is the kind of story that traps us into a groove of biases and social prejudices that will not allow us to break glass ceilings. It perpetuates the rigid mindsets that will continue to empower toxic bullies, but this is just my humble opinion on it. Read it yourself and reach your own conclusions.

    I still have seven stories to read from a total of eighteen, and I don’t read them in order. I will come back to write an addendum to the post later this month if there is something else that needs to be shared.

 

Relevant links:

https://pen.org/

https://www.tault.org/about-us

 Addendum: I was sad to learn that Vladimir Putin launched an inhumane attack on Unkraine on Christmas Day. He targeted Ukraine's infrastructure to disrupt their Christmas celebrations. Horrifying and vile. Every healthy democracy should stand up against acts of terrorism like the ones Putin perpetrates against Ukraine:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/least-3-people-injured-russian-missile-attack-ukraines-kharkiv-mayor-says-2024-12-25/

100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime by Roff Smith

  

  Biking is akin to flying. The simple act of bicycling reminds us to move forward with both excitement and balance.

  Bicycles are not designed to move backwards; they do not pollute the air, and they help us stay fit, strong and healthy. What’s not to like about them?

  I reflected on the wonders of my biking experiences when I wrote about the book Ride Cycle the World, but 100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime published by National Geographic is ten times better. The quality of the stunning photographs will empower your imagination to travel to distant places across the world.

  You will be enraptured by the artistic sceneries created by Mother Nature. You will ride through history as well.

  You may find yourself hovering along the Underground Railroad, roaming by the Berlin Wall, and trundling through the most pristine places of every continent.

 You may take a jaunt through the beauty of Medieval European towns like this one in Germany: Nordlingen. This one “has the distinction of being among the very few German towns whose complete Medieval walls are still standing.”

 You will admire the vibrant views of Mediterranean scenes from islands and towns in Spain and France. You will encounter islands you've never heard of, and may even discover hidden "gems" or reunite with towns you’ve only seen in your dreams.

  Did you know that Slovenia is one of the greenest places in Europe? “It holds the continent’s record for carbon dioxide absorption with its forests absorbing nine metric tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. “

  Just like me, you will be tempted to explore this cozy bookshop in Wales, but, hold on, you can't jump in… You will make up for it, however, because Roff Smith has some book suggestions that will mesmerize your reader’s heart…I will let you find them...

 You may be enchanted by mysterious elves in Iceland… or simply revel in the spellbinding imagery of your choice. There is no need to read this book in order. Flip through the pages and settle where the photographs seize your curiosity.

 

 There is so much to learn and read about. We are short of photographs after all…

 Dive into the magic of this book, and then get on your own bike and dream on. Celebrate the beauty of Mother Earth. The more we learn, the more committed we become to protect her precious body, the home we inhabit together, the home that is part of who we are as people of the Earth. May our actions honor her wonders and our duty to live in harmony together.

 If you appreciate this post, feel free to read my reviews on these books as well:

 

Dirty Gourmet

Ride Cycle the World

Sweet in Tooth and Claw

 

 

Interview with T. J. Saddler

 

  Choosing a path of authenticity in one’s life sometimes requires a change of careers. It takes courage, tenacity and determination to change the course of one’s life to embark on a path that aligns with one’s purpose and goals.

  T.J. Saddler was working as a supervisor in a glass plant when he decided to become a dedicated science teacher. He is the author of Corning Incorporated to Education: A Tale of Two Careers as Planet Earth Turns.

   Julia: How did you take the leap? What inspired you to do so? How did it happen?

 T.J. Saddler: While working at Corning Incorporated, I was sidelined and placed on a list ensuring I would never work again, as a result of systemic racism. This painful experience ultimately led me to reevaluate my purpose. Around the same time, I learned that industrial managers were being encouraged to transition into teaching roles.

 While substituting in the science department at a local high school, a fellow teacher informed me of a summer teaching program in New Hampshire that could help me secure a teaching license. This encouragement, combined with my passion for education, solidified my decision to pursue a new career. I vividly recall a second-grader’s excitement when I substituted in his classroom, exclaiming joyfully that he had a male teacher for the day. This moment confirmed my calling to inspire the next generation, which I delve into my book.

 Julia: What is your book about? What is its purpose?

 T.J. Saddler: My book, Corning Incorporated to Education: A Tale of Two Careers as Planet Earth Turns, weaves together emotional anecdotes from two distinct careers. It begins with my experiences at Corning Incorporated, where I faced profound challenges, including an encounter with over forty KKK members who threatened my life. The story transitions into my courageous pivot to education, where I found purpose in teaching science to the next generation.

 The book’s purpose is to inspire readers to pursue their passions, embrace career transitions, and face adversity with faith, resilience, and determination. Through these personal stories, I hope to encourage others to find meaning in their own journeys.

Julia: What makes your book unique?

 T.J. Saddler: My book is unique because it offers a deeply personal perspective, starting from my upbringing at age two through my educational and professional journeys. It shares vivid stories from my time at a global Fortune 500 company and various educational settings, from kindergarten to post-graduate classrooms.

Additionally, the book explores broader themes such as labor rights, education, and the societal challenges of systemic racism. It blends these insights with engaging storytelling that read like a novel, making it accessible and relatable to a wide audience.

Julia: Did you have to deal with judgments from others in the process of making the change? What obstacles did you have to deal with?

 T.J. Saddler: Yes, I faced significant judgment and rejection when transitioning into teaching. Despite being a qualified industrial manager responding to calls for managers to enter classrooms, I was twice denied opportunities in the local school system. On my third attempt, I was offered a substitute teaching position, despite objections from some staff members.

These challenges only strengthened my resolve. My story reflects the resilience needed to overcome societal barriers, financial hurdles, and the doubts while staying true to my purpose.

 

Julia: What are the greatest challenges you face as a science teacher? What topics do you teach?

T.J. Saddler: One of my greatest challenges was completing the rigorous teacher certification program at Franklin Pierce University, which I finished in nine months. Classroom management also required innovation, as I developed techniques like comprehension maps to engage students and ensure understanding. These tools were later adopted by fellow teachers, and I was recognized with an award for my successful teaching methods.

 I taught general science, natural science, earth science, biology, chemistry, and honors chemistry. I found the greatest comfort in teaching chemistry and honors chemistry, as my passion for the subject was unmatched. I used diverse teaching methods, including field trips, hands-on experiments, and tailored lesson plans to accommodate short attention spans, ensuring an engaging learning environment for all my students.

Julia: What do you love the most about working as a science teacher?

T.J. Saddler: What I love most about teaching is seeing students experience “aha” moments-when they finally grasp a challenging concept or see the relevance of science in their everyday lives. Inspiring curiosity and critical thinking while fostering a love of discovery makes teaching deeply rewarding. My greatest joy comes from knowing I’m shaping the next generation to think analytically and contribute meaningfully to society.

Julia: Would you like to add anything else about the book?

T.J. Saddler: After facing adversity at the high school, which became a toxic place to continue teaching, I embarked on new teaching adventures. I transitioned to a private school, provided personalized support, and eventually rekindled my love for teaching at a local Job Corps Center. These diverse experiences allowed me to reimagine my teaching style and focus on student empowerment.

  My book reflects on my time at a global Fortune 500 company and these teaching adventures, offering a unique perspective on overcoming adversity, embracing change, and finding purpose. It’s a story of resilience and hope that I hope will inspire readers to persevere through their own challenges.