The Book Club
Recognizing the importance of social engagement in my life, I have made a conscious decision to join an organization. I reflected on the activities that bring me joy, and it was clear that creating art and reading are the two areas I am most passionate about. Joining an organization centered around these interests feels like the natural next step in my journey.
My first step was to investigate local art organizations. I discovered that our community has an art guild that offers events and classes. Although there are currently no classes or events that pique my interest, I plan to revisit their offerings when the schedule for next year is posted. I am hopeful that future classes will align with my creative interests and provide opportunities to connect with others who share a love for art.
Reading is another activity that I deeply enjoy, and it plays a significant role in my daily routine. I consume a large number of books, alternating between audiobooks and traditional books. At any given moment, I usually have an audiobook and a couple of physical books in progress. While I do read eBooks occasionally, I prefer the experience of holding a printed book whenever possible. Audiobooks serve as helpful background noise for me, allowing my mind to focus while I go for walks, run errands, or work on various projects. During my search for book clubs, I came across a group on Facebook that meets at The Black Swan on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Their focus appears to be on women’s fiction, which is exactly the kind of genre I enjoy. I am excited about the prospect of joining this club, as I believe it will be a fun experience and a valuable step forward in my journey. As a bonus, if the books chosen by the group have a bit of spice, I can live vicariously through their stories—especially since my own life is currently lacking in that area.
With just one week to finish reading the next book, which happens to be “The Wedding People” by Allison Espach, I wanted to make sure I was prepared and had all the details I needed before attending. To do this, I reached out to the event coordinator for more information. My message read: “Hello, I am looking to join a book club and saw your event. Your past books look like something I would enjoy. Can you please let me know if you welcome new members?” After sending the message, I found myself anxiously waiting to see if I would receive a reply, hoping to avoid any awkwardness by simply showing up unannounced. The following morning, I was relieved to see a response in my inbox. The event coordinator replied, “Hi Lila, we would love to have you join us. Currently, we have four regular members but would love to expand our group to improve the discussion. We meet at 7 PM at The Black Swan—I am looking forward to seeing you there. Let me know if you have any questions.” Their openness and friendly response immediately put me at ease. I replied, “Thank you, I will see you next week and I am looking forward to it,” happy to know I was officially welcome to join the group.
As I prepared to read “The Wedding People,” I realized that, despite seeing various advertisements for the book, I knew very little about its storyline. I was able to locate it on my library’s eReader app and promptly checked it out, eager to begin. Initially, I assumed this would be a lighthearted, wedding-themed novel. However, it quickly became apparent that the book had a much darker tone than I expected—the main character is suicidal, which took me by surprise. I found myself speculating: if the protagonist’s struggles were resolved on the first night, the story would be quite brief unless it followed a narrative approach like “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig. As I continue reading, I find it an interesting coincidence that one of the characters is also named Lila. I tend to be a logical person, but I know that sometimes the universe sends you a sign. I wonder if there will be any parallels between my own experiences and those depicted in the story. I am eager to see how the members of the book club interpret the novel, hoping that our discussion will uncover valuable insights and perspectives. This anticipation adds another layer of excitement to the upcoming meeting, as I look forward not only to sharing my thoughts but also to learning from the interpretations and reflections of others.
