Books That Change Us
Why is it that some books (fiction or non-fiction) have the ability to change our lives? Why do some stories strike a chord with us, and others don’t? Out of the hundreds of books I have read, only four have changed my life (for the better). And this blog post is about one of them. This week I read a book by/about a very special girl named Esther Earl (the very one John Green dedicated The Fault in Our Stars to). This Star Won’t Go Out is filled with Esther’s journal entries and drawings, and essays from her friends and doctor. So, why is Esther special and why did this book affect me? Because she refused to give up or let her cancer (thyroid cancer) ruin the few years she had left. She gave and gave and never wanted anything in return. It took the Make-A-Wish people months to coax a wish out of her — and even then, it was to fly her friends in for a 4th of July celebration and to spend a day with John Green.
I admire her selflessness.
Esther was brave and generous right up to her last moments. And reading her book has reminded me that the tiny things we complain about are nothing compared to what she and many other children with cancer go through. So what if I have a migraine that feels like ten people are bashing my head with baseball bats! It only lasts a day or two. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal now …
Her compassion for animals stuck with me, too. As a vegan, I am a guaranteed animal adorer. My mum likes to joke that if I ever get arrested, it would likely to be that I was (illegally) rescuing some maltreated animal. Esther stays with you long after you finish her book. This morning, I woke up thinking about her. Thinking how strange it was that I’d never met her, but feeling as if I knew her. Wondering about all the awesome things she could’ve done and wanted to do — be an author (well, now she is!!), help other sick kids. But, something I don’t think she realised is she continues to help people every day by being an inspiration to all that come across This Star Won’t Go Out.
Thanks Esther, for inspiring me and countless others.
DFTBA
(Don’t Forget To Be Awesome)
Links You can purchase the Kindle and paperback Esther’s book here.
Or maybe you’d like to make a donation to the This Star Won’t Go Out (TSWGO) foundation? Click here. Or grab a TSWGO bracelet, poster or T-shirt here.
I admire her selflessness.
Esther was brave and generous right up to her last moments. And reading her book has reminded me that the tiny things we complain about are nothing compared to what she and many other children with cancer go through. So what if I have a migraine that feels like ten people are bashing my head with baseball bats! It only lasts a day or two. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal now …
Her compassion for animals stuck with me, too. As a vegan, I am a guaranteed animal adorer. My mum likes to joke that if I ever get arrested, it would likely to be that I was (illegally) rescuing some maltreated animal. Esther stays with you long after you finish her book. This morning, I woke up thinking about her. Thinking how strange it was that I’d never met her, but feeling as if I knew her. Wondering about all the awesome things she could’ve done and wanted to do — be an author (well, now she is!!), help other sick kids. But, something I don’t think she realised is she continues to help people every day by being an inspiration to all that come across This Star Won’t Go Out.
Thanks Esther, for inspiring me and countless others.
DFTBA
(Don’t Forget To Be Awesome)
Links You can purchase the Kindle and paperback Esther’s book here.
Or maybe you’d like to make a donation to the This Star Won’t Go Out (TSWGO) foundation? Click here. Or grab a TSWGO bracelet, poster or T-shirt here.
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