A Severe Mercy (1977) Sheldon Vanauken.
American writer Sheldon Vanauken’s memoir is a moving tale of a reputed intellectual couple’s journey from paganism to Christianity through love and an earnest search for the truth. Vanauken considers it a “spiritual autobiography of a love” rather than just a narrative about the lovers themselves. The memoir reflects on their marriage and spiritual journey following the death of Vanauken’s wife, Davy (Jean Davis). The story begins with the couple’s youthful and idealized love, which they referred to as the “Shining Barrier.” They believed in sharing every aspect of their lives together, excluding even the possibility of having children. Their shared interests led them to marry shortly after meeting. Vanauken served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and settled in Miami afterward, enjoying sailing, fishing, and various odd jobs. Their encounter with a group of Christians at Oxford challenged their beliefs and sparked a spiritual quest. Vanauken’s correspondence with renowned Christian apologist C.S. Lewis played a significant role in their eventual conversion. Vanauken taught at Lynchburg College in Virginia, where they encountered indifference and a lack of faith. However, they formed friendships with curious youth whom they guided and counseled in matters of faith. Tragedy struck when Davy fell fatally ill with a liver infection. After a year-long struggle, she passed away in her husband’s arms. This immense loss plunged Vanauken into a spiritual struggle as he sought meaning in his existence. He turned to C.S. Lewis for solace and healing, leading to what Vanauken describes as the “Illumination of the Past.” This phase involved revisiting their life together and reflecting on Davy’s writings and artwork. Ten years later, Vanauken published these reflections. Ultimately, Vanauken found solace in Lewis’s remark about Davy’s death being a “severe mercy.” He realized that only Love Himself, with a severe mercy, could breach the Shining Barrier and save their guarded love for eternity.
Vanauken continued to sense the presence of his beloved even after her passing, looking forward to a future reunion in the afterlife. Eventually, he embraced the Catholic faith. In summary, “A Severe Mercy” is a beautiful and introspective memoir that delves into the couple’s profound love, their intellectual journey towards Christianity, and the transformative power of tragedy and faith.
Atomic Habits – James Clear (2018)
“Atomic Habits” (2018) by James Clear is a practical guide to self-improvement through the power of incremental changes in our daily habits. Clear emphasizes that habits are the compound interest of self-improvement, allowing us to become 1% better every day in various aspects of our lives. He shares his own journey of recovering from an accident that nearly ended his baseball career, highlighting the trans-formative potential of changing habits step by step. Clear introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change as the foundation for his method of incremental change:
- Make it obvious: Clearly project your goal in front of you, setting a cue for action.
- Make it attractive: Visualize your desired outcome, fueling your motivation and craving for success.
- Make it easy: Simplify the actions needed to achieve your goal, making them easily executable.
- Make it satisfying: Ensure that engaging in the desired habit brings a sense of reward and satisfaction, reinforcing its continuity.
The book’s key lessons can be summarized as follows:
- Small habits make a significant difference: Consistently making small improvements can lead to meaningful and lasting change, even if the progress seems minimal at first.
- Focus on the system, not just goals: Prioritize developing effective systems and processes that lead to desired outcomes, fostering continuous improvement and refinement.
- Build identity-based habits: Transforming habits involves aligning your behavior with the person you aspire to be. Small wins and consistent actions help solidify a new identity and reinforce positive habits.
Overall, “Atomic Habits” provides practical insights into harnessing the power of habits to transform our lives and achieve long-term success.
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