Sometimes, the richness of my life astounds me. Such was the case this past Tuesday evening.
The day was pleasant if fairly routine. But early that evening, my wife skillfully moderated a spirited discussion of A Christmas Carol for the book club I began in 2017. Few things energize me as much as spending time with readers. If the day had ended with the discussion, I would have been more than satisfied.
But then several of us decided to go out for pizza. How dull would life be without pizza? Looking at the disparate group, the richness mentioned above came into focus. Aside from my wife, there was a musician friend and his wife; she is a frequent travelling companion of ours. Also with us was the moderator of the first book club I ever joined - fifteen years ago - and a couple I met via my music classes who have since become good friends. We've already travelled several times with the moderator - did I mention she is a reading soulmate? - and early next year the couple will be joining us on a Road Scholar trip to Spain.
Rounding out the group were two of the newer members of my club, both of whom we met via a hiking group. Come on! A rewarding book discussion, delicious pizza, stimulating conversation with eight people I enjoy all in the span of a few hours. Does it get better than this?
Actually, it does. Before the meeting, a new member of the club - met her via a writer's group she runs - spent time with us at our home. Although we briefly touched on the Dickens novella in our pre-meeting conversation, little did I suspect she would soon after help guide her team of four to victory in the trivia contest my wife designed for the book discussion. Definitely helped that she'd finished the book just hours before the meeting. And though she didn't join us for pizza, between slices, one of the hikers - a member of her team - mentioned her crucial role in their victory. Nice, right?
It was nice! And magical—how we had to put our heads together to come up with answers to Jeopardy level questions. I think Dickens himself would’ve been impressed. I know I was impressed by how this story still resonates, and how it manages to be both fanciful and truthful all at once. And how a book club meeting in a library 182 years later could capture that same spirit.
ReplyDeleteRegina; Thanks for the comment. Pleased that you enjoyed the "Jeopardy-level" questions. 182 years; quite a legacy, huh?
DeleteIt was all of the above. I am sorry I couldn't join you for pizza. As I told Kim, I need advance notice since I already had a meal ready to go for me and my husband. What a nice way to end another year of reading together!
ReplyDeleteInes; Next time we're even thinking about an after-meeting get together, we'll be sure to give you a heads-up. In the meanwhile, thanks for the comment.
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