Rebecca Moll's Blog, page 8
July 19, 2020
Thoughts for a Troubled World by Rebecca Moll
When words fail and actions prevail, turn up the volume...
I don't have any answers for all the troubles of today, but I do believe that choosing a direction for change may be the most difficult. I also believe that this change must come from within. This brings to mind one of my favorite songs. It reminds me that, first, I have much work to do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-DXF...
Thank you, Michael, JFK, Bobby, Mandela, Mother Theresa, MLK...
I don't have any answers for all the troubles of today, but I do believe that choosing a direction for change may be the most difficult. I also believe that this change must come from within. This brings to mind one of my favorite songs. It reminds me that, first, I have much work to do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-DXF...
Thank you, Michael, JFK, Bobby, Mandela, Mother Theresa, MLK...
June 26, 2020
Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff
Some are troubled about the uncertainty and inaccuracy of the past, the evolutionary labyrinth of fact and fiction. Many dedicate their lives to sorting out the details, assigning values, summarizing opinions.
For the past influences the present and the future.
Are our lives destined to predicate upon fabrications of a past reality? Our futures subject to the nuances of the mind, the objectives of pursuit, the loss of retelling?
No one person, certainly
no one woman epitomizes this more than Cleopatra. So little is known. So much is assumed.
From the dying Hellenistic dynasty and the roar of the Roman Republic, 30 years before another changed the world beginning with his birth, there remains scant evidence of Egypt's last Empress.
Of the voices of the past, the scholars, writers, and philosophers in her more than 2000 year old wake, the first few hundred years AD, Dio and Plutarch have left a trail of crumbs to follow.
It is wise to remember no two trails are forged alike.
In Cleopatra, A Life, Stacy Schiff stakes out the trails, scrutinizes the crumbs and sheds all manner of light upon the past. We are beckoned to follow, the pages turning with each step along the way, the voices whispering in our ear conspiratorially, in our considering, weighing, and ultimately understanding our own version of one of history's greatest women.
Yet, it is this uncertainty, the parts left out, that intrigue tantalize, and beckon. 2050 years after her death, Cleopatra is a household name, a coveted mystery, both hated and admired, a scandalized and idolized heroine. The truth is buried deep in the Alexandrian waters, lost to a time and place that one can only dream about.
But what is history if one cannot dream?
For in dreaming of the past we forge our future.
Keep watch for bread crumbs, listen to the voices of the past, our heroes of history are among us. Cleopatra, Anthony, Cesar, Augustus...
Dive into their lives, stand upon their broad and steady shoulders and, dream.
For the past influences the present and the future.
Are our lives destined to predicate upon fabrications of a past reality? Our futures subject to the nuances of the mind, the objectives of pursuit, the loss of retelling?
No one person, certainly
no one woman epitomizes this more than Cleopatra. So little is known. So much is assumed.From the dying Hellenistic dynasty and the roar of the Roman Republic, 30 years before another changed the world beginning with his birth, there remains scant evidence of Egypt's last Empress.
Of the voices of the past, the scholars, writers, and philosophers in her more than 2000 year old wake, the first few hundred years AD, Dio and Plutarch have left a trail of crumbs to follow.
It is wise to remember no two trails are forged alike.
In Cleopatra, A Life, Stacy Schiff stakes out the trails, scrutinizes the crumbs and sheds all manner of light upon the past. We are beckoned to follow, the pages turning with each step along the way, the voices whispering in our ear conspiratorially, in our considering, weighing, and ultimately understanding our own version of one of history's greatest women.
Yet, it is this uncertainty, the parts left out, that intrigue tantalize, and beckon. 2050 years after her death, Cleopatra is a household name, a coveted mystery, both hated and admired, a scandalized and idolized heroine. The truth is buried deep in the Alexandrian waters, lost to a time and place that one can only dream about.
But what is history if one cannot dream?
For in dreaming of the past we forge our future.
Keep watch for bread crumbs, listen to the voices of the past, our heroes of history are among us. Cleopatra, Anthony, Cesar, Augustus...
Dive into their lives, stand upon their broad and steady shoulders and, dream.
June 23, 2020
Thoughts upon reading Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff
The veracity of history is in the hands of its sculptor:
As the Lion said to the man, "There are many statues of men slaying lions, but if only the lions were sculptors there might be quite a different set of statues." ~Aesop
Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff
As the Lion said to the man, "There are many statues of men slaying lions, but if only the lions were sculptors there might be quite a different set of statues." ~Aesop
Cleopatra, A Life by Stacy Schiff
June 19, 2020
The Moore's Account by Laila Lalami, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
Dynamic, compelling, exceptionally well-written, Laila Lalami's, The Moor's Account is a story in which you, too, will travel, explore new lands and peoples, fight for your life, mourn and celebrate, hate and love, as a fellow traveler, a silent compatriot, a co-navigator and narrator of the humble servant of God, Mustafa ibn Muhammad ibn Abdussalam al-Zamaori.
Enslaved by the Castilian explorers leading the infamous 16th century Narvaez Expedition seeking gold and fortune in the New World, a shackled Mustafa is christened Estebanico, a new name, a new life, a new god. But no matter how far they sail, how deep they explore, how lost they become, Estebanico holds fast to his past, enduring years of depravity and hardship, starvation and sickness, praying and hoping for his freedom returned.
Yet, it is only when he discovers the value of his own treasure, takes ownership of the very life he has lived, his story, the one thing cannot be sold, traded, enslaved, or conquered, that Mustafa finally claims his freedom.
A man's story is his freedom, its telling, his legacy.
To God belong the east and the west. To Mustafa belong his story. Whichever way you turn, there is the face of God. God is great.
Enslaved by the Castilian explorers leading the infamous 16th century Narvaez Expedition seeking gold and fortune in the New World, a shackled Mustafa is christened Estebanico, a new name, a new life, a new god. But no matter how far they sail, how deep they explore, how lost they become, Estebanico holds fast to his past, enduring years of depravity and hardship, starvation and sickness, praying and hoping for his freedom returned.
Yet, it is only when he discovers the value of his own treasure, takes ownership of the very life he has lived, his story, the one thing cannot be sold, traded, enslaved, or conquered, that Mustafa finally claims his freedom.
A man's story is his freedom, its telling, his legacy.
To God belong the east and the west. To Mustafa belong his story. Whichever way you turn, there is the face of God. God is great.
June 5, 2020
With God in Russia by Walter Ciszek, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
There is no option but 5 stars for Father Ciszek and his story, his voice clear, his heart true in every part of his telling of his life in Russia.
My advancing years has yet to diminish my amazement at just what the human heart can hope, the body withstand, the mind overcome.
Yet, Father Ciszek reminds us with each page we turn, it is not the tragedy and cruelty we endure and survive, but the hope and salvation of our spirit and soul, in the face of such adversity.
With God in Russia, Father Ciszek teaches us God is with us in our darkest moments. He reminds us all that we are not alone and that all things are possible with God.
My advancing years has yet to diminish my amazement at just what the human heart can hope, the body withstand, the mind overcome.
Yet, Father Ciszek reminds us with each page we turn, it is not the tragedy and cruelty we endure and survive, but the hope and salvation of our spirit and soul, in the face of such adversity.
With God in Russia, Father Ciszek teaches us God is with us in our darkest moments. He reminds us all that we are not alone and that all things are possible with God.
May 23, 2020
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
Marie-Lauer, a French girl who cannot see.Werner, a German boy, genius with radio waves.
A world ravaged by war.
Yet, they both see the world with sound. Their pairing drives the story forward, their convergence, artful and compelling.
From the first page, I fell in love with this story. Much like the diamond, the Sea of Flames, Anthony Doerr's story is a gem with many illuminations. Much like the miniature cities, towns, and houses that Marie-Lauer's father creates, All the Light We Cannot See is not just a replica, another story of lives torn and joined by war, but a story with many doors, secret openings, hidden recesses, surprise treasures. The people and places, Madame Manec, Etienne, Jutta, Frau Elena, Frederick, Paris, Zollverein, Saint Malo will stay with me for some time.
I shelve this story with a mix of emotions, a little reluctant to let it go and yet, looking forward to someday reading it again. I will wait though, a few years or more. Let a few years wash in between, let life add experience and retrospect and, hopefully, a little wisdom. Maybe then, I'll know the answer, fully appreciate the question, "What lies within All the Light We Cannot See?"
May 1, 2020
Thoughts upon reading Night by Elie Wiesel, by Rebecca Moll
Make room in your heart, for this story will imprint upon your very soul.
"Action is the only remedy to indifference, the most insidious danger of all," Elie Wiesel.
A book to be read & remembered, read & remembered, read & remembered...
"Action is the only remedy to indifference, the most insidious danger of all," Elie Wiesel.
A book to be read & remembered, read & remembered, read & remembered...
April 5, 2020
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
I love bookstores. They're like libraries without all the rules. Big, little, old, eclectic, even the book section at a big box store, or the "take one leave one" section at a B&B or hotel.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is like a little, eclectic bookstore. A.J., Amelia, Ismay, and Maya like little, short stories, life on Alice Island like a novella. Put them all together and you don't just get a novel, you get a collection of works, a neighborhood community, a place with history.
Good books are like good bookstores, you get lost and it's a good kind of lost.
The only thing better than a few stolen moments in a bookstore is finding and falling in love with a good book.
And the only thing better than finding and falling in love with a good book is reading it for the 2nd time.
This is my 2nd reading of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. The story is the same, of course, but the take-away is so much sweeter.
I may even read it a 3rd time.
Need I say more?
Well, maybe one thing:
I wish there was an Alice Island.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is like a little, eclectic bookstore. A.J., Amelia, Ismay, and Maya like little, short stories, life on Alice Island like a novella. Put them all together and you don't just get a novel, you get a collection of works, a neighborhood community, a place with history.
Good books are like good bookstores, you get lost and it's a good kind of lost.
The only thing better than a few stolen moments in a bookstore is finding and falling in love with a good book.
And the only thing better than finding and falling in love with a good book is reading it for the 2nd time.
This is my 2nd reading of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. The story is the same, of course, but the take-away is so much sweeter.
I may even read it a 3rd time.
Need I say more?
Well, maybe one thing:
I wish there was an Alice Island.
March 24, 2020
61 Minutes to a Miracle by Bonnie L. Engstrom, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
Nothing less than 5 stars for a mother's story written from the heart. But this is not just a mother's story. It has become so much more.
Whether you believe every miracle because you need hope that there is a loving God at work or you come as a skeptic requiring proof to explain the timeless questions, why? how? The story of James Fulton Engstrom's remains inexplicable.
61 minutes without a pulse from birth.
What can be answered is the response to the Engstrom's call for prayers to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen for his help. An invisible web spread across the Engstrom's family, friends, and eventually, the world. Countless prayers offered up for the life of a little boy. A catalyst to the saving and healing of a little life and the canonization
of Archbishop Sheen.
Prayer is powerful.
Life triumphed over death.
James Fulton Engstrom is a living, breathing, healthy little boy.
Prayer is powerful.
I can't explain why or how, nor do I want to. For me, believing is seeing. And as far as this every day, normal, so far from perfect it is not even funny, Catholic woman is concerned, I see the glory of God in a little boy's life.
Whether you believe every miracle because you need hope that there is a loving God at work or you come as a skeptic requiring proof to explain the timeless questions, why? how? The story of James Fulton Engstrom's remains inexplicable.
61 minutes without a pulse from birth.
What can be answered is the response to the Engstrom's call for prayers to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen for his help. An invisible web spread across the Engstrom's family, friends, and eventually, the world. Countless prayers offered up for the life of a little boy. A catalyst to the saving and healing of a little life and the canonization
of Archbishop Sheen.Prayer is powerful.
Life triumphed over death.
James Fulton Engstrom is a living, breathing, healthy little boy.
Prayer is powerful.
I can't explain why or how, nor do I want to. For me, believing is seeing. And as far as this every day, normal, so far from perfect it is not even funny, Catholic woman is concerned, I see the glory of God in a little boy's life.
Becoming by Michelle Obama, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
Whether you cast your vote in red or blue, Michelle Obama's Becoming is a personal journey that speaks to all.
Paying forward the love and guidance of her own childhood, this 1st Lady has used her position of fortune to open doors for others. And in opening doors, she has opened hearts, young and old, all over the world.
Humble, grateful, insightful, and retrospective, I found this honest and engaging memoir shedding light on the events of my own past, providing context to my understanding of our country's history in ways only a personal perspective can.
Mother, daughter, wife, sister, colleague, 1st Lady, mentor, student, and loved and cherished child, Michelle Obama has worn many hats and as far as this registered republican is concerned, she wears them well.
Go ahead, read the book. Check your opinions at chapter 1 and turn the page.
Oh, this is a colorful story for sure, but remember, in printing a story there is no red or blue, right or left, there is no white or black. It requires both right and left pages, both black and white. Right becomes left when you turn the page. Black text and white background, together, provide visual clarity. Simple metaphors, for sure. Maybe, even naive, childish. Yet, it is true, all you ever needed to know you learned in kindergarten and great things can happen when we set down our differences and work together.
Think about it...What are we Becoming? What could we become?
Paying forward the love and guidance of her own childhood, this 1st Lady has used her position of fortune to open doors for others. And in opening doors, she has opened hearts, young and old, all over the world.
Humble, grateful, insightful, and retrospective, I found this honest and engaging memoir shedding light on the events of my own past, providing context to my understanding of our country's history in ways only a personal perspective can.
Mother, daughter, wife, sister, colleague, 1st Lady, mentor, student, and loved and cherished child, Michelle Obama has worn many hats and as far as this registered republican is concerned, she wears them well.
Go ahead, read the book. Check your opinions at chapter 1 and turn the page.
Oh, this is a colorful story for sure, but remember, in printing a story there is no red or blue, right or left, there is no white or black. It requires both right and left pages, both black and white. Right becomes left when you turn the page. Black text and white background, together, provide visual clarity. Simple metaphors, for sure. Maybe, even naive, childish. Yet, it is true, all you ever needed to know you learned in kindergarten and great things can happen when we set down our differences and work together.
Think about it...What are we Becoming? What could we become?
