I often read Linda Clare’s blog posts at GodsongGrace on writing skills and just yesterday she reminded us that reading is important, even necessary to boost writing skills. Thanks, Linda, I love you for saying that because I tend to feel guilty for the hours I spend reading. There are always household chores not being done or yard work, or…but Linda says reading is good. Well, okay.

I just finished re-reading What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg. It’s a growing-up story of two sisters and the mother who eventually abandons them. It’s about the feelings one has when in between childhood and whatever comes next. It’s about the understandings deep inside wanting expression but having no words big enough or true enough to explain them. And, it’s about forgiveness as two grown sisters face up to unfinished business. Berg has the ability to remind us about how long summer days were when kids played in the woods pretending to be indians carrying out mysterious ceremonies. How it felt to be barefoot and lazy and wonder what was for dinner. How it felt to observe adult behavior with more understanding than the adults gave credit for and how scary that reality could be.

In one scene the main character meets a fourteen year old boy one day and pretend-marries him just two days later in a secret rite held at midnight in the faux teepee. Though the ceremony sounds like childhood play, the actual scene is just lovely in its sweet innocence mixed with the seedlings of desire. I love this book, so sad and sweet at the same time. Berg’s voice is casual yet rich in keen observance and most of all so very believable. Do you remember being twelve years old? Berg does.