Layers, layers, layers, and more layers

The books I have been reading the past 6 months have brought up a theme of new levels, depths, and proportions. I am finishing up St. Teresa of Avila's book "Interior Castle" in which she has 7 levels of the 'interior life'. I am loving this book because it really is about a soul and God - forget other people, what other people think, say or do, forget about cultural expectations and norms, stereotypes, etc. What really matters is one's interior life that no one else really even can know - except God, of course. Each level in St. Teresa's book brings more intimacy with God and gives a person freedom to live truth that is refreshing, to say the least.

I am reading C.S. Lewis' "The Great Divorce" in which he lays out an analogy to describe souls and their relationship to God depending on how each one lived its life here on earth. And, again, he describes in an amazing way the levels of intimacy to strive for which could bring one closer to heaven. It reminds me of highschool conversations that had a great impact on me while reading Dante's "Inferno" and his seven rings of sin that lead into Hell. There is a theme here!

This past summer the books I read and some I reread such as Mark Twain's "Joan of Arc", Edwin O'Connor's "The Edge of Sadness", "The Brothers Karamozov", and C.S. Lewis' "Till We Have Faces" all bring to the forefront the layers to life which unfold and how I can learn from them. It is absolutely fascinating to read a book at one point in life and then reread it 10 years later and take completely different lessons from it!

There are layers, and layers, and layers to unfold and to peel back. These authors are so full of truth, so full of wisdom that it is humbling to read such great works. These books show me how much there is to learn. There are always areas to improve in. There are always new things to learn about people even if I have known them for years and years - and there always will be! There, really, is an infinite amount to learn here on earth, and that is exciting!

These books truly are inspiring as I do my best to live each day, learn and move forward. Trying my best to raise children, be a wife, friend, family member, serve others and use any God-given talents can seem taxing, burdensome and only a struggle many days; but then again, stepping back and reading these great works of literature and seeing a story from beginning to end in its entirety give me a new perspective of hope and purpose. There is much work to be done!