Monday, April 9, 2012

The book remembers when...

I love that Trisha Yearwood song: "The Song Remembers When"

So does a book, by the way.

Case in point:

* Elizabeth Gilbert with Eat Pray Love got me through mom's death and pumping for Duncan (how many hours did I sit behind that curtain in the pumping room of the Children's Hospital NICU reading away?)

* Jodi Picoult with ALL of her books got me through Duncan's death

* And Suzanne Collins with her Hunger Games series got me through Dad's death

I am taking the time to write this, because I had the AWESOME opportunity to watch the Hunger Games movie preview showing a few Thursday nights ago. I planned it as a date night, lining up the inlaws to stay overnight, holding the fort down with boys, so Scott and I could go to the 12:05am showing (to illustrate the special nature of this event, please note our regular bedtime is 9:30pm and stuff officially turns to pumpkins after 10pm for sure!). As the event came closer, it became abundantly clear to me that Scott's week and Scott's following work day was not permitting him to be sleep-deprived. So, I encouraged him to bail on me. In fact, I insisted. It just was too much.

One might think that I would bail too.

But no.

I went.

10:00 - 11:40pm was a rough 1.666666 hours. Snacking and messing around on Pinterest prevented me from nodding off. And the bed was calling me LOUDLY. It was tempting. But I pressed on.

I was beginning to feel a bit silly - mother of two preschoolers and visably prego with another - staying up for a book-made-popular-by-teenage-crowd-turned-movie. But then. When I arrived on site. My mood shifted. The theater was crawling with Hunger Games enthusiasts. I was with my people: old, young, purple, green, rich, poor... the energy was palpable.

So I sat my pregnant little patootee down in one of the few single seats remaining (the place was nuts, I tell you!) and enjoyed the show. I laughed. I cried. I jumped out of my seat.

It was great.

Thank you, Suzanne. I will never forget what you did for me!

1 comment:

Emily said...

Tricia. What an amazing post. Its funny those books transformed me too. A different way, but still. I love that you wrote this.
And dont worry, I was giddy as a school girl waiting to see Hunger Games. Those books are so gripping and lovely at the same time, you really cant look away. And Jodi Picoult, we need to have a book club,I am getting down to the very few I have not read and I am jonesing for another recommend. And I read "Handle with care" While I was in treatment litteraly while I was jonesing, and getting home was terrifying so as I read the first chapter of the Hunger Games, all my feeling of dread and doubt were sucked into the arena and the world outside of it. I didnt have time to worry, I was more worried about Katniss, Peeta and Prim. Honey we need to go out and have a lunch date/book date. You tell me when you are availible and I will make it happen. Such a great post, and I am so happy that these books can be so cathartic. Amen!