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Writing Autobiography Bell Hooks

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“In writing about her, I reclaimed that part of myself I had long ago rejected, left uncared for, just as she had often felt alone and uncared for as a child. Remembering was part of a cycle of reunion, a joining of fragments, the bits and pieces of my heart that the narrative made me whole again.” Writing Autobiography Bell Hooks (1039

This course on society and identity forced me to take a long hard look myself and question a lot of what I have come to believe. Questions about my up-bring, past, what direction I want to go in the future and how I raise my child. Through much self-reflection, weekly reaction postings an assortment of readings, and exploratory writing I began the process of gathering up all the remnants of myself I had hidden …show more content…
My fellow class members have shared with such vulnerability and courage of heart. I personally feel as if my life has been enriched and enhanced beyond measure because of everyone’s willingness to show up and share. Weaving all the readings and experience together I have found myself surrounded by a tapestry of memories, lessons and hope for the future. A warm and brightly colored quilt has been sewn together from the sharing of our pasts and also the thread of hope that shimmers and holds us all together in dark and difficult times. One of the books that touched me most was Amazing Grace by Johnathan Kozol. I could not remove this community from my mind after the posting. I found myself coming back to it and re-reading certain passages. As Reverend Overall revealed “We find God in the wilderness” I found this theme central to my healing as part of this class. Going back to school as a single mother with a small child and balancing the tight rope act of juggling full time work, new rituals of much needed self-care, self-love and my music career has been difficult. To say the least. My job is so stressful, my life is so stressful. But I had to face myself and step into some of my fears and I found I was not alone. I found peace, courage and myself during the journey. In other words I found the God in me. My faith and spirituality plays a big part in my everyday life and is a prism through …show more content…
While watching the Jill Bolte Ted talk “Stroke of Insight” I was distracted by my own self talk and chatter while observing her. I never noticed all the judgments I was carrying and how they impacted my ability to listen and take in information. All these years I thought I was a better listener. I also was surprised at just how little I knew about evolution. Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin was eye opening and inspiring. I grew up in a very religious how and so the idea of evolution was always at odds with creationism. As an adult I have sought hard to reconcile the two. I think they can go hand in hand, neither is literal. But this subject was one I avoided and would have made my eyes glaze over or so I thought if I tried to study and understand it. I found myself wishing my high school would have introduced the concept of evolution with this book. Funny insightful, useful and it changed my thinking. I plan to introduce my son to this book once he starts to ask probing questions about where humans come from. Most shocking to me was my disdain for Robinson Crusoe. It has been on my list of classics to read for quite some time. But I found Crusoe almost unbearable. I enjoyed Foe by J.M. Coetzee much more and the symbolism of Friday’s tongue being cut out and the sexism and duality of the relationship between Susan and Friday was not lost upon me. The most compelling readings were the

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