Many of my friends are engaged in their annual write of passage this month, and will emerge with a novel in their hands. Or at least on their computers.
I’ve chosen, yet again, not to join them. Instead, I’m spending this month reading (OK, that’s not really all that unusual). And when I found myself at book’s end last night, I decided to borrow one of the books on Diane’s night table, The Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide to Guilt
I’m glad I picked it up — I’ve just finished the first section, Chai Anxiety. I was especially taken by Dara Horn’s essay, “The Last Jewish American Nerd”, particularly when she wrote about “teacher love”. I’ve been spending time at work in official and unofficial mentoring, which is the closest I’ve come to being a teacher, and Dara’s essay helps me understand why it’s a great thing to do — for myself and, I hope, for the people I mentor.
The other essays I’ve read so far have been worth the time, too. I’m happy that there have been a good number of grins mixed in, too, because a solid course of guilt would be unpleasant. And if I wanted unpleasant, I could be looking at the stock price. Oy!