Plot Points #8 💌
Work that matters, ricotta toast, and taking up space
Happy Friday, email friends. I have a little story for you.
A few weeks ago, I shared that I had a second interview for a job I really wanted. First, it was a Professional Reader position at Book-of-the-friggin’-Month, and secondly, I found out on Monday…that I didn’t get the job. The news was simultaneously a big surprise (because it seemed like The Most Perfect Gig and both interviews went really well) and also not a surprise at all. I fear I have come to expect rejection at this point in my professional life.
Whilst having a momentary pity party, our son Theo saw my teary eyes and approached me with concern in his.
“Mama, are you sad?” he asked quietly, his little hand on my back.
I nodded and wiped my face. “Just a little bit.”
Theo brightened. “I know how to make you feel better!” he exclaimed, and then promptly threw his whole body against mine, arms tight around my neck. I held him close and breathed in deeply, inhaling the sweet scent of childhood and baby shampoo.
“Does that work?” Theo whispered, still clutching my neck.
I thought about how lately I’ve been feeling down on myself, convinced—rather unfairly—that my work doesn’t seem to matter as much as I would like. But with my four-year-old son’s arms around me, his wild and generous compassion on display for the benefit of his downtrodden mother, my definition of “work that matters” became something altogether different at that moment.
“Yes, baby,” I whispered back. “It does.”
Be encouraged if you find yourself struggling to feel seen, valued, or heard. There is someone—big or small—to whom your life is a gift, someone who doesn’t measure your worth by data insights or a job title.
Someone I have a sneaking suspicion would throw their arms around you if given the chance and ask, “Is that better?”
Lord, give us eyes to see.
Point #1: We need a redefinition of “Church.”
In this insightful, poignant piece, the author details the closing of her church home and reorients us around the truth of what the modern Church has become…and what it’s actually meant to be. Such an important read!
Point #2: Roasted grape ricotta toast is my new favorite summer lunch.
Seriously. Forgo the $9 coffee shop toast and make this deliciousness at home. (I would also like to thank our realtor for gifting us a cookbook containing a similar recipe when we bought our house. You’re the 🐐, Bobby.)
Point #3: Kids deserve to take up space, full stop.
Oof. This line got me: “Who do we give permission to be a part of the world? The list, seemingly, is ever-shrinking.”
Point #4: Every body is a beach body.
Still, we all have some cultural bullshit to undo and not everyone feels good in a trendy swimsuit. I’ve tried a number of two-pieces lately and just haven’t been comfortable in them the way I was before kids, so I’m Team One Piece now. I recently snagged this beautiful color-blocked suit from Target that highlights the things I really love about my body while also providing coverage and movement. Give my rectangle shape all the waist-defining wraps!
Bonus Point: When an older person offers hard-won wisdom, pay attention.
This list of things to know from a woman who just celebrated her 60th trip around the sun is an absolute gem. Prepare to take notes. (Like #7, #25, #66, and #95.)
Reading In The Nook
We just finished up the delightfully dark Lessons in Chemistry for our summer book club (final post forthcoming this weekend!) and am eager to begin reading our July pick, Maame by Jessica George. If you weren’t able to join us for June’s selection I hope you’ll join in this month! Go ahead and grab a copy of Maame here or check it out at your local library.
A blurb to pique your interest:
It's fair to say that Maddie's life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson's. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.
When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she's ready to experience some important "firsts" She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils--and rewards--of putting her heart on the line.
Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George's Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.
See you in July! (So…tomorrow.)
You might also like: My first post on Lessons in Chemistry | Group chat for book club
“My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
—Psalm 131—
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