When my mom was dying of cancer, I went quite a while without eating much; I just wasn’t hungry. I asked my doctor if he could give me something to calm my anxiety a bit. He did, and my appetite started to come back. I had a friend (I use the term “friend” more as a substitute for “soul sister” or “one without whom I could not get through life”) take me out to a local diner. I will remember that plate of pancakes and bacon for the rest of my life. To have a person in your life who so perfectly knows what your soul needs at a given moment is priceless.
This same friend sent me a book last week. It was exactly what my soul needed. And now I have decided that it is my job to tell everyone on Earth that they must read it. “Broken (in the Best Possible Way)” by Jenny Lawson will make you feel all the feels. I laughed so hard (at several different spots) that I had to stop reading because I couldn’t see the page anymore through the tears. There are other chapters where she talks about her struggles with anxiety and depression so relatably (stet) that I was channeling my inner Jonathan Van Ness and exclaiming, “Yas, girl!” (stet) as I read. If you’ve ever been frustrated with your health insurance, there’s a chapter for you. If you’ve ever been mad at your significant other, there’s a chapt…nah (stet), the whole book is for you. Now when I’m frustrated with my husband, I call him Victor (okay, maybe only in my head). And my new favorite word is “stet” (if you couldn’t tell). My friend enjoys her copy as an audiobook; I enjoy mine as a hardcover. Whichever way you experience it, maybe don’t while you’re driving (at least the first time through). You’ll probably get into an accident from laughing so hard you can’t see straight or, you know, having your face in a book while behind the wheel. I give this book all of the stars, infinite thumbs-up, a big hug, and my whole-hearted endorsement. Grab a copy today. Go. Now. Enjoy!