My 2021 reflections are an odd batch this year.
(And look, they’re coming several weeks late! Had to get past Advent.)
In thinking about the year, my favorite parts involve books (surprise!), travel, and touching base with friends.
Excitement tracked me down in several places.
But in all things, just like the Bible promises, events worked out for the good.
I end 2021 thankful for many things, people, and memories.
2021 Reflections on Books
I easily met my Goodreads goal of reading 120 books in 2021.
Sleepless nights often meant I read far more than 10 books a month.
In October alone, I read 16.
These were my favorites.
Nonfiction
The World Aflame by Marina Amaral. I love seeing historic photos converted into color.
You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. –I laughed 1/3 of the time, muttered, “I’m so sorry this happened to you,” 2/3 of the book, and am thankful I read it. Sometimes we need humor to best take in the hard topics we need to explore.
WWII Fiction
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn –I’m totally done with WWII novels, but this one was so entertaining, I have to toff my hat.
I also enjoyed Sarah Sundin’s novel, When Twilight Breaks. (I served as a consultant on this one!) Sarah usually writes from the military/romance point of view, but this time moved into reporting.
Non-WWII Novels
Brood by Jackie Polzin –A quirky novel that has a lot more going on than you expect–in dealing with grief, it helped the heroine to brood about chickens and life.
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin–a haunting and beautifully lyrical French novel about a woman who runs a cemetery, sort-of.
Authors whose books I always read
I enjoyed all the Biblical novels written by Connilyn Cossette.
India and Middle East stories by Alka Joshi.
Surprising, poignant, sobering, non-fiction for 2021 Reflections
Just a list (The links are to my Goodreads page. My comments are under “My Activity” there):
Bring Back Our Girls: The Search for Nigeria’s Missing Schoolgirls and Their Astonishing Survival by Drew Hinshaw.
Wide Awake and Dreaming by Julie Flygare.
Dear Life: A Doctor’s Story of Love and Loss by Dr. Rachel Clarke.
The Pastor’s Wife by Sabina Wurmbrand.
Movies
The only movie we saw in the theater was a National Geographic documentary: The Rescue.
It’s the story of the Thai boys’ soccer team trapped in a cave. I’d read the book, watched another documentary, and felt familiar with the story. This film, however, included the video shot by the Thai SEALS as the rescue was in progress.
Fascinating.
We also enjoyed the Fellowship for Performing Art’s The Reluctant Convert--C.S. Lewis’ story.
2021 Reflections on Art–live, in galleries!
I didn’t realize how much I missed visiting art galleries and museums until this fall.
On a free afternoon in Los Angeles, we saw the Hans Holbein exhibit at the Getty Museum.
One of my favorite painters from the 16th century (what? you don’t have one, too?), Holbein’s work has intrigued me since childhood.
I relished walking through the galley, admiring the paintings close, reading everything, and feeling so thankful.
We got a bonus glorious day in LA as well.
Not a month later, we saw a presentation of the Sistine Chapel paintings–also at a closer range. I wrote about that visit here.
(We also saw, like many, the immersive VanGogh exhibit–fascinating!
Music?
For many Christians, including me, music plays a key part in our worship.
During COVID shelter-in-place, I missed singing with my church body almost as much as not having my whole family around.
When a small group of us gathered outside (it was in the low 40s), to sing Christmas carols last year in four-part harmony, I danced and flung up my hands, “Whee!” after the first song.
Throughout the year+ our church met outside (in northern California) to sing through rain, sleet, freezing temperatures, I stood in the back in pure joy. The singing with the body meant so much!
This Advent, finally back in church and singing in choir masks, we reprised a Christmas Cantata: Night of the Father’s Love by Pepper Choplin. It’s about half an hour and starts at the 15:30 mark here if you would like to watch and hear.
For most of us, singing together of Jesus’ birth was pure love.
More joy came from listening to David Voss’ 2020 Christmas Album. (You can read about our friend David here).
2021 Reflections on the Arts
The last two years gave me a greater appreciation for family and friends, of course, along with church and teachings.
But, the arts helped, as they always do in times of trauma or crisis.
Reading, watching movies, and listening to music can provide a different perspective on our circumstances.
The Bible, of course, is even better at doing that.
I like to look back over the year and remember things that helped me process life, enjoy it, and share.
Happy 2022.
Tweetables
Another list of 2021 favorite books, music, and art. Click to Tweet
Last year there came a newborn art
that really kinda rocks
and is unto my own heart,
the carving of gun stocks.
I started with mahogany
of which a had a piece,
and then moved on to any
wood that shaped with ease.
Red oak is the cheapest,
and most accessible,
but working it ain’t easiest,
but satisfaction’s full
from bending it to my design,
then finished, with a stain of wine.
LOL. Oh, Andrew, lovely to see you again. I was worried . . . and actually went hunting, but found you on B&S. Happy new year.
I’m keeping this in my archives. You have a wonderful background in the arts. Truly a blessing.
Truly. It’s the result of having a mother determined her children would know about art–and a family friend to do the explaining! Hoping for more in 2022!