This Just For You is short and sweet. Sweet because the stories I mention below show what it means to live like it matters. Sometimes that means leaving home. Sometimes it means we go back.
Leaving
I recently listened to Educated by Tara Westover. It’s been on my “to read” list since it was published in 2018, but the timing was perfect. The story was more meaningful to me than it would have been eight years ago. In her groundbreaking memoir, Westover recalls living in Buck’s Peak, Idaho with her survivalist family and the long, painful escape from the abuse. Throughout the story, Westover shares her thought process about what’s happening to her and lets us in on the vows she makes along the way. Vows to never react to the pain. Vows to push down the tears. Vows to prove her loyalty to the family.
Eventually, she had to choose between that loyalty and the truth. Between herself and what they believed. Between herself and what they wanted her to believe. We can all relate to wrestling with our identities. Am I who they say I am? Do I believe what they taught me? Do I trust what I remember? The author wrestles with these kinds of questions and gives her readers intimate insight into the journey. I highly recommend the Audible version. Educated Audiobook by Tara Westover
Going Back
I knew very little about Noah Kahan beyond his most popular songs played on the radio. His songs revealed a storytelling depth, so when the documentary about him released on Netflix, I watched with curiosity. We meet Kahan’s family, see the place he grew up, and the room where he started writing songs. We watch him experience the thrill and not-so-thrilling parts of fame. I was surprised by Kahan’s vulnerability as he shared about his battles with mental health and body image. Filled concert venues and the crowds singing every word of his songs back to him couldn’t fix the loneliness he felt. The documentary is about Kahan finding out he needed to go back home to learn more about who he is. Noah Kahan: Out of Body
Kahan turned his battles into actionable support by founding The Busyhead Project. The non-profit is dedicated to removing the stigma of mental illness and making mental healthcare more accessible. So far the foundation has raised over $6.6 million to fund local, grassroots mental health organizations across the globe.
Both Westover’s and Kahan’s work embody the ripple effect of living like it matters. Most of us will never write a memoir or write hit songs. Still, we have the opportunity every day to live like it matters right where we are. Our kindness matters. Our work and the way we work matter. Our reaching out to a friend matters. Our daily choices matter.
The ripple effect of our lives is as significant as those who write memoirs or sing songs; whether we leave home and explore the world, or we stay in the place where we were shaped. Our lives matter.
I’ll ask what Mary Oliver famously asks in her poem Summer Day. Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
Photo at Pexels
