"Whenever anyone discusses death they talk about the inevitable loss, but no one ever mentions the inevitable gain. How when you lose a loved one, you suddenly have a spirit ally, an energy on the other side that is with you always, that is with you just by calling your name."
– Sandra Cisneros
I've read over 1200 books in my life, so it's difficult to identify my favorites. Reading for me is more like osmosis. I can't always point to a book and say what it means to me.
With a few exceptions.
One of those exceptions is Sandra Cisneros's "The House on Mango Street." When I read it in 2005, I knew I was going to be a writer.
I knew I was going to be a writer who knows the rules and breaks them, who mixes truth with beauty, creativity with social commentary, justice with compassion, authenticity with imagination, conviction with love.
I learned all that and more about writing from The House on Mango Street.
And I learned all that and more about life from my dad before he died in 2000.
When my dad died it was an incredible loss. When my dad died it was an incredible gain.
An energy gain, a motivational gain, an accountability gain, an inspirational gain, a momentous gain to grow and evolve and become who I have become.
My dad is my spirit ally, with me always, and I daily call his name.