Skip to main content

When Breath Becomes Air - Review


A poetic piece of literature about a young man who is also a doctor who probably would have found the cure to something or at least saved thousands of lives but finds out when he is 36 he has terminal cancer and only lives to 37.

It's sad.

Like, really sad.

But it's also incredibly enlightening.

Dr. Paul Kalanithi's memoir changed my life.

Although the other day I got a little lightheaded and spiraled into a panic attack thinking this could be my last day on Earth and questioning whether or not I did it right.  Life, that is.

That's what this book will do to you.  Not the panic attack thing, that part is on me, but this book will make you take a long, hard look at how you are livin'.  Will make you question your relationships and whether or not you are giving them the attention they deserve.  It will actually make you NOT roll your eyes the next time you hear live each day like it's your last or see a Carpe Diem tattoo next to that tribal on that tanned bicep.

(Ok, you will still roll your eyes at the tat.)

It will make you love harder, feel deeper, live life fuller.  Breathe in and breathe out with a bit more gratitude.  Sweat less over the small stuff.

I couldn't recommend When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi enough.  But I do warn you - make sure you are in the right frame of mind to read it.  His writing is so eloquent and his mind was so beautiful that you feel the pain of his journey but it's a sweet kind of pain.  A well thought out kind of pain.  A pain, that if taken in the right stride, can make you a better person.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Braden Bin

Welcome to the second installment of The Braden Bin, formerly known as Friday Finds.  Yep, week two and the name has already changed.  For those that know me know that it is likely to change a few dozen more times.  Just the way I am.  I'm comfortable with it. (Haha, by the way, I actually changed the title AGAIN, while writing this blog.  It was Ben's Bin.  Oh me oh my.) Music I'm Jamming To:   Coming Home by Leon Bridges A blast from the past out of Ft. Worth,Texas.  That's right, not Detroit in the '60s...Ft. Worth, Texas - 2016.  Most of you probably have heard of him already but if you haven't, I'd suggest getting on the bandwagon now.  This guy is amazing and is only going to gain more popularity.  I cannot wait for his next album to come out. If you are into Vinyl, I strongly suggest picking this one up.   Bonus:   Lisa Sawyer by Leon Bridges What I'm watching :   German Coast Guard - what are yo...

The Braden Bin - 6/9/16

Quote that's got me thinking:  "When teachers talk to teachers, good things happen." I'm not sure who to give credit to for this quote but I first heard it from Plano ISD's superintendent Dr. Binggeli during his first "speech" to the administrators in the district.  That was at the beginning of the year, and here I am, in the first week since teachers and students have left for the summer, still pondering it.   I think for too long the teaching profession went like this - This is my classroom, these are my students.  I'll do my thing and you'll do yours.  Good luck and good riddance!  Now, the teaching profession is moving in the direction of collaboration, sharing of resources and ideas, etc.  Educators are realizing that much can be learned from their comrades.   #AmIrightTOTY?   What I'm Reading:   High School Suspensions Cost the Country $35 Billion Annually, Report Estimates This is a pretty fascinating study and while th...

Birthday

It's my birthday tomorrow.  I don't want to do this, but I have no choice.  It's all around me.  Literally coming at me from every direction imaginable.  It's ok.  I'm alright with being "that guy".  I've decided that I will write about my days in the life of an educational leader but when the time strikes, I will write about my personal life.  This is one of the times I am taking a little bit of time to write about what's going on in my life. Tomorrow, my family and I will wake up early and head up to Paris, Texas.  We have some family in Paris but we aren't going there to see them, although we do plan on making a stop.  We are going to see a family we have grown close to throughout Avery's treatment for Hepatoblastoma.  They just lost their little one to Neuroblastoma.  Tomorrow is her funeral. I have a student who fought and beat Leukemia several years ago.  I didn't know her when she was fighting and I didn't know her w...