Even though many Quakers use the phrase, “hold in the light,” there is something to be said for the moments when we utter-perhaps on purpose or by accident-a word or phrase that helps us find a deepening, an opening, the ability to go on. Help, Thanks, Wowfocuses on the simplicity and importance of three prayers we all find ourselves saying from time to time: the prayer for when we feel desperate or hopeless (Help!), the prayer for when we feel fulfilled (Thanks!), and the prayer for when we feel awed by the beauty around us (Wow!).
(If you’re doubtful, just show up at one of her readings on a book tour-you’ll find a packed house with people doubling over in laughter, maybe even wiping a stray tear from their eyes.) That’s how readers feel after finishing one of Lamott’s books-touched and uplifted by her detailed observations, her ability to find meaning in small moments and simple solutions, and her wit and charm. It’s rare to find a writer whose words leave you exhilarated, as though you’ve just come from a visit with an old friend. Anne Lamott, photo courtesy of the author Lamott-who many affectionately call “Annie”-writes with such humor and wisdom that I quickly moved on to the rest of her nonfiction, which focuses on the struggles and joys of leading a faithful life. I was grateful for those instructions, which I think about pretty much every day. I knew I ought to read it one day, and last year, I finally did. Many people came in looking for a book called Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. I first heard of Anne Lamott many years ago, when I worked at the information desk at a bookstore the size of a warehouse.
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