Anything is Possible

 As I have said before, I don't do book reviews, but I do do book raves. I am on a Elizabeth Strout reading spree at the moment, and I am beginning to appreciate why she is considered one of the greatest living writers. I just finished Anything is Possible, which is a sequel to My Name is Lucy Barton. Many people have written about the accessibility and profundity of her novels. Hillary Mantel had this to say about My Name is Lucy Barton: Writing of this quality comes from a commitment to listening, from a perfect attunement to the human condition, from an attention to reality so exact that it goes beyond a skill and becomes a virtue.” I liked MNILB more than AIP, but today I am going to talk about AIP because I think I have found what to put on a new post-it note as I navigate the uncertainty about my career. The post-it note will be the title of the book, which is a shortened version of a mantra from one of my favourite Yoga with Adrienne sessions: "Trust, Accept, Remain Open to All Possibilities". Both phrases might seem unremarkable, and even trite, unless you feel their truth like I did. The novel itself is about how the ghosts from our past might not blight our lives forever. How opportunities to heal maybe be found in the most expected places and times. not 'can' but 'may', which doesn't put all the onus on the person. Because how can we ever be sure that steps we are taking to heal are making any difference, even if they are not actively hurting us? What I like about the phrase AIP is its balance between openness and acceptance. It is not "Anything can happen" which is a statement of fact devoid of deeper meaning and sets too much store on fate. Equally, its not "You can do/be anything", which feels (at least to me) like trite boosterism. Even if you have the ability and motivation to do/be what you want, fate has to line up behind you. The reason I think boosterism is dangerous is it can easily turn into self-flagellation when said goals are not realised. AIP, on the other hand, gives a nod to fate, but without surrendering to it while urging openness not just about the possibilities but also about our goals. Or at least that is how I read it. We may not know what we want or even need it until we stumble upon it.