Well, we are one week into 2010 already, but before more time goes by, I’d like to add one more book to my “Best of 2009” list. I squeezed it in just before the New Year, so it still counts. The book is A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller.
It’s the kind of book that works for me. I love Donald Miller’s minimalist style, his sense of humor, and his honesty. What I like best, though, is the book’s main idea: Life is a story, and the choices we make determine what kind of story it will be. Reading this made me wonder how many times I’ve passed up a good story because I didn’t want to feel awkward or I didn’t want to make a scene. I know I am not alone in this.
Here is a great quote from the book:
… [H]umans naturally seek comfort and stability. Without an inciting incident that disrupts their comfort, they won’t enter into a story. They have to get fired from their job or be forced to sign up for a marathon. A ring has to be purchased. A home has to be sold. The character has to jump into the story, into the discomfort and the fear, otherwise the story will never happen (pp. 104-105).
The reason this is so inspiring to me is that I love stories. If you know me at all, if you’ve read this blog at all, you must have figured out by now that stories are my passion. I want to be making everyday decisions that help me not only write good stories, but also live good stories. I hope I’ll be able to look back and say that reading this book was an incited me to say yes to adventure throughout the year. If you need a little push to help you choose adventure over inaction, I recommend you read this book too.
I’ll finish with a classic quote from G.K. Chesterton for you:
An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.
