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.

LET THEM PLAY by Jerry Lynch

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher.)

Last year, my family entered the world of competitive sports with soccer and basketball. I was not an athletic child but my son loves sports. This is all new to me. As a parent, you hear stories about sporting events and the bad behavior of other parents. So far, I haven't witnessed any of this. However, if we continue with sports, I know this issue will come up. Even at a very low, fairly non-competitive level, I often find myself getting overly involved with the game from the sidelines. I call my son's name and shout at him what I think he should be doing. After reading this book, I think I may have to change my behavior.

In his book, Lynch ties together elements of psychology and spiritual principles to give parents and coaches a game plan for giving children positive experiences in organized sports. Lynch points out that, "the magic of sport can influence a significant portion of a child's physical and emotional development for years to come. These include learning how to fail, how to succeed, how to overcome self-doubt, how to get stronger mentally and emotionally, and how to develop selflessness." Sounds good, right? But what happens when parents and coaches intervene in this process in negative ways? Lynch provides a bunch of "food for thought" as well as offering concrete ways to give children positive experiences utilizing tools such as meditation, compassion, visualization, and more. He ends the book with a Code of Conduct for adults so that our kids can truly enjoy organized sports without negative influence.

As a parent, I found this book very useful and easy to read. Especially as my son enters competitive basketball season!  I will be passing it on to my son's soccer coach and hope to share it with other parents as well. These simple reminders can help our kids get all of the good stuff out of organized sports and avoid the dreaded "parental interference" from the sidelines.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. A great tool for parents and coaches.