On the Bookshelf: "Unbearable Lightness"

I recently finished reading Portia de Rossi's "Unbearable Lightness," detailing the actor's struggle with eating disorders for the majority of her life.

Having never come close to having an eating disorder, I was really curious as to what the mindset behind such an illness would be. And wow, was it mind-boggling.

Since I was, well, born, I've been eating whatever I wanted. And only in the past few years did that have any real consequence. So the idea of mentally portioning everything while my bones were still growing...it just did not occur to me. By the grace of God, I mean.

As stunning and raw as this read was for me, it was also incredibly eye-opening to a world that has nothing to do with my thought processes or internal prompts or conceptions of necessity.

And I'd recommend you read it.

That said, know that Portia de Rossi, Ellen's wife, is a lesbian, and that part of her life is not left out of her book. Nor is the language she uses (mainly toward herself, whom she wasn't very kind to until recently), and nor is the reality of Hollywood. So if you read it, be forewarned.

But whether or not you read it, please be grateful that you were formed in your mother's innermost being before your mother even knew you existed.

Be grateful that God doesn't create anything He does not love.

Be grateful for every ounce of support and generosity you've ever received.

Be grateful for every time you've had the ability and comprehension and openness to receive it.

And for goodness' sake, be grateful for the bravery you've had, even when  you didn't know you had it, and didn't know where it came from, and maybe didn't even know you were displaying it.

Not everyone knows the immense value of themselves, or of these things, but everyone should.