Jumpstarting the New Year

I finally bought “The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics” book. I have been thinking about buying it for almost half a year now. I don’t know. I guess it’s easier to buy for other people than for myself. Anyway, I had Powerbooks gift certificates from my birthday and from the Kris Kringle, so I just had to pay only half of the book’s price, which made it less steep for me.

By the way, if any of you have Powerbooks receipts from December and have no significant sentimental attachment to them, do let me know. Their journal would seem like a good replacement to my old one and I just lack P405.00 worth of receipts to have it. But Luis, I do thank you for the Starbucks planner, hehe.

Anyway, the collection consists of the following books: “Mere Christianity”, “The Screwtape Letters”, “The Great Divorce”, “The Problem of Pain”, “Miracles”, “A Grief Observed”, and “The Abolition of Man”. I was so excited when I bought it and texted Luz; she is the one who introduced me to C.S. Lewis books. We called each other up and just excitedly talked about it, much like how teenage girls would gush about the celebrity heartthrob. This is how we are. Once, I was once told that I was just plain weird for wanting to go home early so I could get back to my reading. When I told Luz about it, she asked what was so weird about that. Sigh, what a friend.

I browsed through the thick, encyclopedia-like book and reread parts of The Screwtape Letters. But I’ve decided to start with A Grief Observed. It just seems to pull me to it. Here’s a paragraph that resonated in my thoughts:

“Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not ‘So there’s no God after all,’ but ‘So this is what God’s really like. Deceive yourself no longer.’”

Some would think that this is a depressing way to start the New Year, but I feel like I need to understand sadness – really understand it. To be a better person this coming year. And I’ve always regarded sadness as my muse. I am more prolific in my writing when I’m sad. But I need a new journal.

Won’t you guys get back to me about those receipts? Thanks. :)