These three books have left a lasting imprint on my life. While many others have shaped who I am, these hold a truly special place in my heart.

📗Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

📘The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

📖The Bible by Many Spirit-Inspired Authors

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📗Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

When I first read Tess of the d’Urbervilles, I was navigating a deeply challenging period in my life. It was one of the first novels assigned for my “Introduction to English Literature” course at the University of Toronto, and I immediately felt a profound emotional connection to Tess and her struggles.

Her quiet strength in enduring abuse from the men she loved resonated deeply with me. Yet, I was struck by the painful reality that love couldn’t protect her from betrayal and sorrow. Despite fate’s relentless attempts to break her spirit, Tess carried her burdens with an incredible, heartbreaking resilience.

The novel frequently brought me to tears. Like Tess, I felt betrayed, abandoned, and unjustly accused; the emotional roller coaster of her life was overwhelming. While her story ultimately ends in absolute tragedy, reading it offered a strange solace during my own darkest moments.

I found comfort in my church community, and though my own story led through the pain of a divorce, I was able to find the path that Tess was so cruelly denied: I kept moving forward.

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📘 The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

“Once there was a tree, and she loved a little boy.” — Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree

I have read The Giving Tree countless times, both during my time as an Educational Assistant and as a parent to my own children. Every single time I shared this simple yet profound story with a class or a child, the response was identical:

“Can you read it again, Mrs. ______?”

Without hesitation, I would always oblige. I knew that the children weren’t necessarily analyzing the deeper themes; they were simply basking in the comfort of its words. For me, however, the book serves as a powerful reflection on unconditional love, selflessness, and sacrifice. The tree’s endless generosity toward the boy, spanning all the way into his old age, stays with me to this day—constantly encouraging me to reflect on gratitude, reciprocity, and the true nature of giving.

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📖 The Bible by Many Spirit-Inspired Authors

The Bible has had a profound, continuous impact on my life. Comprising 66 distinct books, it holds far too much wisdom and depth to ever fully cover in a single sitting. Yet, I can confidently say it is filled with extraordinary stories of love, redemption, adventure, and drama—all carrying vital lessons for modern life.

As Karen Lee-Thorp elegantly notes in her book The Story of Stories:

“Most of the Bible consists of stories…an account of God’s love for a species of creatures who consistently hesitated to return that love…So the Bible ought to be treated as a story; a five-star drama rather than a legal treatise.”

It is this grand, dramatic narrative of enduring love that continues to guide and inspire me every day.

Thanks for reading! 😊