A friend at the library recommended I read Two Old Women by Velma Wallis. This is a tiny book and a quick read, so I picked up a copy and settled in for a bit of time travel back to ancient Alaska. The cool thing about working in a library is that you’re exposed to so much knowledge on a daily basis. Here’s some of what I learned from this gem of a book.

• Respect the knowledge of your elders – especially if you’re planning to live off the land.
• Don’t discount anyone no matter what age they are, no matter what form they take.
• Everyone has a story – listen!
• Don’t fall into the trap of complaining about the world, about your aches and pains, about your life. In this book, even the two old women don’t like each other when they’re stranded together because they complain so much – until they start to listen to each other and work together as a team.
• No one likes a critic.
• Make an effort to pitch in and be helpful, to stay active and engaged.
• Trust that you can do things, that you can figure things out.
• Stay curious.
• Take chances. And don’t give up when you still have a fighting chance.
• Sometimes the least likely person is the one who is going to help you.
• It isn’t always the worst thing to get cut from the team.

Velma Wallis has a great story of her own. She was raised in the wilds of Alaska and wanted to be a writer – but who would publish an ancient tale like this? Check out the book and you’ll learn more. It’s so nice to find inspiration on a bookshelf.

Ready for a moment of joy? Check out these shots, courtesy of Bill Maxwell, from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens Winter Light Show. Wow!

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