nothdtv818
Definitely a book I plan to read at least once each season!
Often times, I'm at a loss for words searching for the right thing to say that would accurately convey my emotions in the manner that I would like them to be portrayed. I usually find myself in situations where I say something, and it doesn't get interpreted the way I had intended. Unfortunately, miscommunication is very present in many of my relationships today; especially with the relationship I have with my immigrant parents. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents and we have an amazing relationship now, but there were struggles and still a few struggles now. Many things get lost in translation and many things get misinterpreted, but that is no one's fault but my own and it's something I'm still learning to navigate.
Atlas of the Heart, took me on a huge trip down memory lane and made me relive through so many different experiences in my life. It touched on so many emotions that I have often generalized under happy, sad, or mad. I started asking myself questions - What makes me... me? Why did I feel that way? Why did I react that way? Was I the only one going through that at the time? Society and social media perpetuates this fantasy of what our life should be at certain time periods in life - its overwhelming and lonely. Even now, we slowly isolate ourselves and subconsciously compare ourselves to the other person on the other side of the screen. Some of us sink away even deeper into thoughts of worth. Am I enough? It's scary thinking about raising kids right now and wondering what they must be feeling and wondering will they be okay. I can only hope that more people take the time to read this book and learn to navigate through their emotions by themselves and with others. Emotions and language are important. The emotions we feel and the words we use to express those emotions help us to feel whole. This book made me feel whole. It made me feel present and heard.
I live by a philosophy: Treat others the way I would want someone to treat my future kids. Carrying this mentality keeps me optimistic about the future. So in an effort to pay it forward and spark more conversations about the importance of emotions and language, I wanted to post a review on this book in the hopes that whoever is reading this review gives it a chance. It's worth it.