Category: FICTION

  • It’s Not All Downhill From Here

    Hello Honeybees,

    You know how you can hear a song and it triggers certain memories? That song can take you back to a certain place, a special moment or time spent with special people. I have books that trigger certain memories too, some books I’ll reread not just because of the memories but because of the lasting effects that they have on my life. Every year I read Purpose Driven Life, and since discovering The Alchemist I had added it to the list. 

    I remember my first Zane read, my first Brenda Jackson read, my first J. California Cooper read, my first Toni Morrison read and my first Terry McMillan read. I remember what was happening in life at the time that I immersed myself in these books. The time that I sat aside to actually slow down and sit down with a book in hand and lose myself in the pages.

    Well, Terry McMillan’s It’s Not All Downhill From Here is the book for the current stage of my life. It’s about love, marriage, divorce, friendship, money, growing older, parenting, aging parents,loss and more. It’s the Waiting To Exhale for the 50 plus group. Chronicling the friendship of 5 women as they navigate this thing called life. You will find yourself in one or more of these characters. I think that I’m a combination of the main character Loretha and her girl Ko. Each lady has her own life circumstances and issues to deal with but they do it together. They each have their own flaws but hey who is perfect? We see how you can do your best as a parent but once your children are adults, especially adults, you have to let them fall. 

    We see the value in friendships, good friendships. The value in taking care of your body, at some point you won’t be able to drop it like Thee Stallion. If you do drop it you might need someone to help you up. We see the value in making good financial decisions that will enable you to leave a legacy for your loved ones. We learn that you are never too old and it is never too late for love. You are never too old for second chances and life is not all downhill no matter how many trips around the sun.

    I give this book 5 out of 5 honeypots. So grab a copy and a cocktail and read it with your girls. You will not regret it.

    For a while now I have been trying to think of a way to launch a series aimed at how life and your body changes as you get older. This book is the launch pad for that series. Still working on a name but it’s coming. Each month I will tackle a different topic. The first one next month (my birthday month) will be about menopause. Leave me a comment below with your menopause questions. Don’t worry I won’t be answering them based on my knowledge. I have some help from some experts.  

     

    Beewisdom-“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” – Betty Friedan 

  • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

    Hello Honeybees,

    One of my favorite quotes has always been

    Paulo Coelho

    Oprah was the first person I ever heard say this, so I thought she created it. Imagine my surprise when I started reading The Alchemist by Paula Coelho.  One of the major themes of the book is my favorite quote. 

    How I missed this book in 1988 is beyond me…. Oh yeah now I remember. 

    I was a college student trying to find that delicate balance between education & partying.  If it wasn’t required class reading I wasn’t reading it. Did someone say party??

    Thank God I grew up and rediscovered my love for books.

    At the beginning of  2015 I saw that a lot of my Facebook friends were either reading or re-reading The Alchemist.  You know it’s a good book when people are re-reading it.  The final straw came when I read that Idris Elba was set to star in the movie version.  I HATE reading a book after the movie.  So I had to get to reading.

    The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

    This was the perfect book to help pull me away from my phone, laptop, television and social media.

    I’m so glad that I took the time to read The Alchemist.  Actually the timing couldn’t have been better. 

    See, I’m finally pursing MY Personal Legend. I finally know MY purpose and what I want to accomplish.  And guess what…..the universe IS conspiring to help me achieve it. 

    I know that as I pursue my Personal Legend there will come a time where I will need to re-read The Alchemist.  We all need a reboot from time to time.

    I suggest you put down the electronics and pick up The Alchemist and get to reading.

    I give The Alchemist 4 out of 5 Bee pic Bee pic Bee pic Bee pic

    What is your Personal Legend?  Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of The Alchemist.

    Belinda Bee pic

    Beewisdom – “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”   Paulo Coelho