The Joy of Fearlessness

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©2012NanciHersh

"...Now I know that joy was a kind of fearlessness, a letting go of expectations that the world should be anything other than what it was."

                                               Lucy Grealy
                                               Autobiography of a Face

My love of words led me to Lucy Grealy. Recently, scanning the shelves at our local book store,
Hockessin Book Shelf, I found Ann Patchett's memoir of her friendship with Lucy Grealy in her book truth & beauty. Anything Ann Patchett writes is rich and wonderful and this book was no exception. Ann writes honestly and poignantly about their friendship. I wanted to know more, and read Lucy's words.

I was not disappointed.  In Autobiography of a Face, Lucy writes about dealing with childhood cancer, Ewing's Sarcoma, the resulting disfiguring surgeries, and the depth of the loneliness and depression she suffered with for the rest of her, all too brief, life.

The book is engagingly powerful. Her insight into how we see ourselves, and how not feeling or looking beautiful can be so painful in our society. However, through it all,  her words are poetic, courageous, beautifully written, and above all- inspiring.

I resolve to be fearless in learning to accept my work, myself, and to put love in everything I do.

As someone I met once said "All you need is love..."