It’s been another wild week in the world, and my heart goes out especially to everyone impacted by the fires in Los Angeles. As we head into another week that threatens to bring with it a lot of uncertainty and fear for so many, it’s more important than ever to lean into the good, true, and beautiful. And so here’s what’s been lighting me up and lighting the way for me this week.
We’ve been having ‘real winter’ here in Toronto the past couple of weeks, and I’ve been really enjoying the two sides of that coin: both the freshness and invigoration that comes from being out in the cold and snow, and the excuse to snuggle in with comfy clothes and a good book or bad tv.
My main series here right now has continued to put me into contact with Carl Jung’s writings. One line jumped out at me this week and has stuck with me: “No one can be spared the way of Christ, since this way leads to what is to come” (The Red Book). The idea is that, quite simply, we all have our Jerusalem towards which we must set our face; we all have the cross that we must carry. It’s an inescapable part of being human. The only question is how ready and willing we are to live up to and into those challenges and vocations, and thereby usher in a stronger and more loving future. It’s powerful stuff, and incredibly relevant in our increasingly hurting world.
My reading this week has been largely on the ‘fun and forgettable’ side. After reading The Theft of the Iron Dogs (which I mentioned last week), I got a bee in my bonnet trying to find contemporary cozy mysteries that aren’t, for lack of a better word, dumb. This subgenre is known for its whimsy, strong settings, and fun characters, but I find the quality of the writing and plotting to make it almost unreadable. So I’ve read a few of these since I last touched base here. Sadly, as I type this on Friday morning, I’m still on the hunt for an elusive good cozy.
In terms of music, the year is getting off to a slow start for the kinds of music I like. I know a lot of folk are loving the new Bad Bunny album, and I really appreciate the artistry in what he’s doing. But it’s not an album I’ll be coming back to. Two brand new releases as of Friday that I’m enjoying are the new EP by Yola, My Way, and Victoria Canal’s album Slowly, It Dawns.
I’ve actually had a bit of a rough week in my real job, so I haven’t had a lot of mental energy in the evenings. So I’ve been really grateful for my subscription to DropoutTV. It’s inexpensive and I get so much joy from it. It’s mostly just smart and kind people playing improv games, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a wonderful boon to my happiness.
So what’s lighting you up this week?
Matthew Root 