Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal is an unusual book. It is as the sleeve says "not exactly a memoir, not just a collection of observations, Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal is an exploration into the many ways we are connected." The first section is about geography so as I read I tried to read through a geographical lens to see the relationship between the physical location (the geography) and the personal connection in each entry. As I read about serendipity I thought about the odds that all the coincidences appear in her life which in itself is serendipity. It is interesting that we, as a society, mold things in how we want to see them. When I hear 'one in a million chance' I think that there is a slim chance but its changes the game when its put into the perspective of "280 million people in the United States, he says, "280 times a day, a one-in-a-million shot is going to occur" (Diaconis, as cited in Rosenthal, 2016, p. 27).
Some thoughts I had while reading:
-a little burst of joy comes from the sight of the familiar in the unusual
-closing your eyes instantly transports both in daydreams and midnight dreams
-Serendipity...the right place at the right time? Serendipity...more than a coincidence... its a common occurrence.
-millions and billions of views in the world so we must probe and prod to uncover different perspectives
-everyone crosses paths for a reason
-travel changes our lives forever
-things may change but they will work out
-each path takes you different places...it may even take you or your belongings to the wrong place
-the exact location impacts the view, move an inch in any direction to see a new perspective
My Favorite Quote:
"It takes a snowflake two hours to fall from cloud to earth. Can't you just see its slow, peaceful decent?" (Rosenthal, 2016, p. 47)