Microjoys by Cyndie Spiegel

MICROJOYS by Cyndie Spiegel (A Year of Positive Thinking) is a deeply personal and moving work from a motivational speaker who is adept at reminding us of the importance of discerning joy, particularly during difficult times. Spiegel shares her own stories and memories in three major sections: Observing Life (one absurd, ordinary, miraculous moment at a time); Despite Everything, We are Still Here; and Becoming Enough (relationships with ourselves and others). Her introduction alone gives pause for thought as she relates a ten month time span in which close family members died, a sibling experienced serious health issues and she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite those circumstances, Spiegel writes of her willingness to give up control and focus on these points: being deeply appreciated and loved; true friendship; and being grateful. She is an expressive writer, asking her readers to “appreciate that love and loss are close dance partners in this lifetime.” The tone is conversational, calm, even comforting as she points out that instead of always looking at black and white we can help ourselves practice to “live within the gray, neither perfect or imperfect, and still find beauty there. … to learn how to let light in.” Share MICROJOYS with family and friends – it will provide solace and encourage resilience in a practical, encouraging, everyday way. Each short chapter concludes with a "consider this" suggestion, honing our ability to better "gently hold grief in one hand and joy in the other." We rarely know all of the struggles and burdens others face and this text, though relating sad events at times, is uplifting, like Beauty in the Broken Places by Allison Pataki.