Wednesday, November 01, 2017

BIG LOVE by Scott Stabile


(I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher)

I was in the middle of reading this book when the Sonoma County wildfires came. In all the chaos of packing the car for potential evacuation and being on high alert for two weeks, I misplaced my copy. When I picked up again, I realized its message couldn't be more timely or more needed.

Many people know Scott Stabile through his Facebook page. In this post, he is able to delve more deeply into his messages of love and acceptance while including painful parts of his life that have led him to these messages. Reading about the loss and pain in Stabile's life was very sad and relevant to the types of loss occurring in my own community at this time. Stabile has managed to work his way through those difficult times to come to an understanding of how love has the potential to work in our lives.

A few days ago, I posted this quotation from the book on Instagram:


The books took a few chapters to get going for me. I think Stabile is at his best when he is funny and self-deprecating in a way that allows us to see the flaws in ourselves and embrace them. This allows us to do the same for others. The later chapters in the book were the ones I found myself underlining the most. In the face of tragedy when we feel most vulnerable, it is a good reminder that love and kindness can do so much!

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. A quick read that offers personal anecdotes coupled with reminders about the significance of spreading love and kindness in the world.