In preparation for my year of service, this summer I’ve been reading some books from a suggested reading list provided by Catholic Charities Service Corps (CCSC) along with some other books that I’ll post about later. The summer isn’t quite over yet, but here’s what I’ve read from the CCSC list so far:
Not On Our Watch: the Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast
This book is particularly relevant to what I’ll be doing in my year of service since I’m working for refugee services. This book describes the horrifying genocide being carried out on the people of Darfur and the terrible conditions they face even after escaping to refugee camps. More than a description of genocide, it is a call to action to stop the genocide since our government basically isn’t doing anything. The authors write about finding a way out of apathy and different ways to pressure our government to take action.
This book was as disturbing as it was supposed to be and it took me a very long time to get through it because I could only read a little at a time of the parts about the victims of genocide (since it was so upsetting), and because the other parts of it tended to be pretty repetitive and boring. The fact that I have such a hard time finishing this kind of book—along with my not finishing the movie El Norte that was on the film list provided by CCSC—bothers me because I can’t simply walk away from or turn off the real people who have lived through these horrors that I will be serving. I think it’s possible that my empathy for people who are oppressed and marginalized—which was one of the driving factors in my decision to do a year of service—may make the work more challenging for me.
Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker J. Palmer
I really liked most of what this book had to say about not trying live your life as you think you “ought” to, but instead listening to yourself and knowing your strengths and weaknesses so you can live and do what God intended for you. As it relates to my year of service, I’d been thinking about doing a year of service for a really long time because I thought I “ought” to do something good and because my parents encouraged me to do so (or nagged, whichever you like better). However, I didn’t actually start seriously looking into a year of service until I felt the “call” for myself. That being said, there are plenty of things I’ve done because I think I “ought” to do them, and not because I really want to or feel called to do.
Also interesting was Palmer’s emphasis on living your personal “truth” even when it isn’t the same as what society accepts. He says the prison you create for yourself in the “half-life” you live by living a divided life is worse than how society will punish you. I don’t think this is true all the time, but it’s interesting to think about. Personally, I have a hard time sharing and rarely share my “truth” even when there is little to no chance of “punishment.”
I did have one major problem with this book: in order to do most of the things Palmer suggests to hear and respond to the call of your true vocation (which he says each person must do), the person following these steps would have to be at least somewhat privileged. Most anyone who is willing to put in the time/effort/emotional energy to examine their inner workings and inner truth can find it, but not everyone can just stop whatever they’re doing at the moment and follow their true “vocation.” For example, what if someone is called to be a nurse, but s/he doesn’t have the education and cannot afford to go back to school because they’re working two jobs to support their family? What if you are simply trying to survive? All of this isn’t Palmer’s fault, of course; however, he doesn’t even acknowledge his place of privilege. Also, in some cases there are much bigger obstacles than the “self” or “ego,” as Palmer calls it, standing in the way of discovering personal truth and then following that truth.
Another VERY SUPER SERIOUS problem I had was that Palmer makes the egregious mistake of using exclamation points liberally (sometimes as many as two or three a page). Not only is this annoying, but he’s also breaking an important writing rule: every writer is allowed only three published exclamation points in their entire career as a writer. Clearly, Palmer is in some serious exclamation point debt after the first chapter of this book alone.
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Compassion by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph.D.
I’m sure the ideas in this book will come in handy over the next year and, really, the rest of my life. I think the world would be a much better place if everyone spoke respectfully, really listened to what their personal feelings and needs are, could communicate those feelings/needs, and listened to the feelings/needs of others without judging. It’s not very realistic—especially if not everyone who is communicating is using this guide to nonviolent communication—but I think even if I’m only able to consistently adopt an aspect or two of nonviolent communication as described in this book I’ll be a better communicator.
Making a Living While Making a Difference: A Guide to Creating Careers with a Conscience by Melissa Everett
So, I’m not finished with this book (I’m about half-way through), but I thought I’d write about it anyway. Everett makes a good point in this book that in order to make a positive difference in the world, you don’t have to have one of the careers that people typically think of when thinking about what makes a difference such as being a doctor, teacher, social worker, environmental activist, etc. This book is about looking “outside the box” and figuring out how you can make a difference using the skills, experience, and interests you already have. There are exercises, questions, and worksheets in this book to help you recognize and name your skills, relevant experience, and interests. Parts of this book are a bit boring, but I think it will ultimately be worth reading, especially while discerning what I want to do after my year of service to continue serving others and making a positive difference in the world.
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