Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith

These are the last three sentences of the book, "Traveling Mercies" by Anne Lemott. And they sum up this collection of stories beautifully. This is a book about faith and a book about gratitude. It is intelligent, thought provoking, funny and highly readable. Anne Lemott, Annie--as it appears her friends call her--lets us into her world and shares a very personal and poignant path of a unique and awkward girl taking off her "glasses of puberty" and coming of age. She lays everything bare, from her feelings about her bushy hair and alien eyes, her drug and alcohol additions, to her love for her father and dealing not only with his death, but also with the death of her best friend. We enter the world of a single mother, a struggling and ultimately successful writer, and all her feelings of self-doubt. She seems to have a third eye when it comes to seeing those around her, and through her observations and writing, we too can appreciate people and situations to a greater degree. Writes Lamott of a sick woman from her church in a story named Ashes: "It must have been too annoying for everyone to be trying to manipulate her into being a better sport than she was capable of being. I always thought that was heroic of her, that it spoke of such integrity to refuse to pretend that you're doing well just to help other people deal with the fact that sometimes we face an impossible loss." The underlying theme throughout each brutally honest passage is the message of her faith in God and how she came to discover this faith. She LEARNS to pray and uses prayer to get her over the large and the small humps. One can't help but come to love this child of God, and everyone in her life.

Life shouldn't be this difficult! Lamott, through witty, humorous, clear, concise writing and compelling stories shows us how, in many ways, we are our own worst enemies. But she also shows us ways out of the problems we create and gives us a glimpse of how our attitudes and perseverance can overcome even the problems of alcoholism, drugs, being a single Mom, and being poor. On the surface, this is a very self-centered book, focused almost entirely on the feelings, friends, enemies, and weaknesses of the author. Yet, Lamott manages to use her story to demonstrate to us that through love and faith, one can overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. If one reads these stories while keeping compassion in his or her heart for another suffering human being, then a spiritual journey unfolds with many wonderful lessons along the way. But it takes work to get by the feeling that we're learning far more about the author than we needed to. Yet Traveling Mercies becomes a wonderful sermon since it afflicts the comfortable and gives some hope and comfort to the afflicted. And perhaps the discomfort one feels when reading it is the same as that of being around sick family members or friends. And how can one tell the story of love and compassion for others bringing grace into one's life without sounding self-centered and a bit self-righteous? In the end, Lamott does precisely that. The reader grows respect and admiration for this frail human being as she tells of her own spiritual journey from someone who could not stand being "in the same room with a Christian," to someone who can lean on God and accept Jesus. And she does so without trashing anyone else's faith system. "I make him [her son, go to church] because I can. I outweigh him by nearly seventy-five pounds. But that is only part of it. The main reason is that I want to give him what I found in the world, which is to say a path and a little light to see by. Most of the people I know who have what I want--which is to say, purpose, heart, balance, gratitude, joy--are people with a deep sense of spirituality. They are people in community, who pray, or practice their faith; they are Buddhists, Jews, Christians--people banding together to work on themselves and for human rights. They follow a brighter light than the glimmer of their own candle; they are part of something beautiful." I spoke of this book to a minister friend, and recommended it as good reading. He in turn mentioned it to a friend who was having difficulty with a wayward daughter. The daughter read Traveling Mercies and reported back that it had changed her life. That she was able to see how to get things back into control. Perhaps that is the only recommendation this book needs. It changes peoples' lives for the better.

In this beautifully written book, Lamott describes how all of our lives are lead by spirit and marked by little miracles - whether we able to recognize it or not. We are reminded that nobody is exempt from the first noble truth- that the price of being human brings with it tears, sorrow, pain, and death. But it is also up to us to recognize the joys and gifts with which we are graced. I am convinced that anyone giving this a low rating is likely a conservative Christian threatened by her radical slant on truth. But in her book, she is even able to find grace in her encounters with those archetypes. For those who are liberal Christians, interfaith or with Buddhist leanings, this book is a welcomed read and goes down like honey when your throat is too parched to swallow. I myself lost my husband to head/neck cancer a few months ago and now find myself not only a widow, but alone and wheelchair bound with an advanced form of multiple sclerosis at the age of 42. In so many words, I have wanted my (relatively young) life to end a hundred times. This book has given me a greater sense of affirmation, comfort, strength and hope than have the clergy and shrinks with whom I have consulted since my husband's death combined. This is not only incredible writing, it is a form of pastoral ministry. Thank you Anne, for being such an AUTHENTIC guiding light. May God in all its miraculous and merciful forms keep you travelling always!

As I read Anne Lamott's book I recognised some of the same questions, doubts stumbling rocks that I experienced on my path. Many times I thanked the good Lord above that I had made some different choice than what Anne made in her life. My life suddenly looked much more serene and the degree of crisis were so much less. Anne's writing style encouraged me to continue reading all the while giving me insights to faith and the search for faith.

I loved this book. I seem to like all the Anne Lamott books I have read so far. My interest in her books are like the way fish takes to the water. Everytime I begin to read her next book, I think may be I might end up not liking it, but thank God, to the contrary, I love her writing & plan to read all her nonfiction books. I like that her writing keeps me so hooked enough to finish reading at a fast pace.

This was one of those books I didn't want to come to the end of. Each insight Anne Lamott referred to I found myself nodding my head to and saying "Oh My God I've been in that situation". It's a great read.....

Ann Lamott is a great soul and author. Her authenticity, perfect humor, wisdom and courage shine as only she can in a world of such suffering.

I wish I had read this book years ago. For me this is more than a story about one woman and her faith it is a story about faith, the single parent and life. I became a single parent when my son was five and it is the most challenging aspect of my life. The stress and fear of single parenting eclipses the challenges of career, academia and study, priesthood and everything else. It was for me a kind of furnace but one in which my faith became real and I learnt to walk with God just like Anne Lamott. And that is simply taking everyday faith and living through this faith in all the ups and downs of life. So for me the beauty in this book is not that Anne is a great theologian it is that she is walking with God through ups and downs and her faith isn't just in the pew it is in her work, her kitchen, when she drives, when she writes, her friendships, her losses, her pains and joys, and in all the grace and grit of her life. And that is how it should be. So I enjoyed reading this because I could catch glimpses of my own life in her life and it is always encouraging and life giving when you realise that you are not alone, that you are actually part of a community and that there are others who have walked or who are walking as you are. It means you are actually in a company of walkers and you travel through life together and by mercy. I wish I had discovered Anne Lamott in the early days of my single parenting when life was raw and perplexing but I feel that finding her now is still a blessing because now I have reached surer shores, I lead others in their walk and Anne's book reminds me of this. So in reading this book I remember my past and can bring it into the present and future, and pass my own wisdom for life to others so that they too can have life. And this is how it is supposed to be and this is what Anne Lamott has done here. And she has done it in an ordinary and simple way with writing that engages the heart with its beauty and passion. Her writing is real and I loved her writing in all its honesty and openness, compassion, humility and love. But this isnt just about faith. This is also a book for people without faith because all of us have to do life. All of us face those pains and joys and why not travel with others instead of travelling alone? So I loved this glimpse into a life that has echoes of mine. It was affirming, comforting and encouraging and just right for the journeys ahead.