Which moment am I living in?
A quick insight into “Help, Thanks, Wow” by Anne Lamott
It’s been a long time since I finished a book in one sitting (just over a decade to be honest). With this one, the moment I started the first chapter, I couldn’t put it down.
“Help, Thanks, Wow” takes a transparent approach to the concept of living in the present and letting go of everything that weighs you down. We all need to accept that there is Something much bigger than we are and we are not in control of everything. Anne Lamott isn’t the first to say this and will definitely not be the last but she puts it all in a neat package that I believe speaks to everyone, religious or not. Her reverence of God or Something will get anyone thinking about their spirituality and without getting uber-religious, it gets you taking an introspective look into yourself that helps you stop self-obsessing and start seeing more of what’s other than the self. A bit of a paradox, yes but in simple terms, this book is about being honest with yourself, at all levels.
The 3 prayers she mentions are spiritual practices we all need to nurture in our lives. We need to be able to ask for help when we need it. That takes maturity. It takes growth. A step further will also help one be grateful, even when things aren’t going great. There’s a strength one needs to be able to say thank you even when everything is going sideways. Anne talks about some of the experiences she’s gone through and how she realised after how grateful she was for all of them. The 3rd prayer, “Wow”, is a total mystery and you’ll only know it when it slaps you in the face. It’s that moment that fills you with awe and you’re mesmerised by the hand life has dealt you. And after it all, all we can say is Amen.
