Over the years, I have evolved due to the many experiences I have lived, but also because of the memorable books I have read which have affected me long term. These have stuck with me and have melded themselves as part of my character. In fact, there are a couple which I can specifically credit for some of the values I hold dear.

Wally Lamb's I Know This Much Is True taught about forgiveness. If Dominick could forgive his father for all those horrible things that happened, then I could surely forgive anyone. So, every time I start remembering something unpleasant, I think of Wally Lamb's twins.

Audrey Lordes' words tapped into the different kinds of love and how anger could be turned into strength. She taught me about beauty and about how women, all women, can be beautiful. She also taps into what it means to raise a son. She shows what it is to live through the world through the screen of mother, human, and woman.

Jeannette Winterson's explored how women could be funny and sharp and cool at the same time. I especially remember the shocking scene where Jove pretended that his wife was dead in order to have a slice of her thigh. He was upset that his cuckold wife had stolen his mistress. Very well told in Jeannette Winterson's nonchalant, sharp style.

Rohington Mistry's A Fine Balance exposed the strength of the human spirit and that everything is relative. You see, Omprakash and Irvash were reduced to beggars. And still they had light, lightness of spirit, hope, appreciation. They found beauty and kindness and joy in the things around them as they were. And Dina, who had been obsessed with her money, afraid that they wanted it from her, ended up giving it to them  when she no longer had it. It is done remarkably and is intricate like lace. The ending of this book is out-of-this-world. What Dina did for them in the end is almost unimaginable. You will want to smile and cry when you read how and in what she served them. If only Omprakash and Irvash were real.

Harper Lee's words in To Kill a Mockingbird  shows the reader how to fall in love forever, with little girls and ghosts and games and children and with Atticus and his honour and respect of his children and the town. The character of Boo teaches how to love all people despite their differences. This book taught me to read with my soul, to seek magic forever, in words.

Michael Ondaatje's taught that words have energy and can affect you on so many levels. They can slow down your breath or speed it up and they can make you stare and have your mouth drop open. They can make you think, I want to do that; I want to go there; I want to meet him; I want to see; I want to read his words again, just once more.

The Bible taught that words have power and can make things happen. The very first words I read when I picked up the bible after twenty years are: In the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (John 1:1)