By Amber
Self Image Magazine Connection Series
Featured Recommendation:
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
This is a haunting exploration of what happens when the Extraordinary meets the Ordinary—and the Ordinary gets scared.
The story follows a girl who doesn’t just march to the beat of her own drum; she is the drum. She is unfiltered, ancient in her empathy, and entirely herself. Then there is the man who falls in love with her. He is mesmerized by her light, but ultimately, he fears the connection.
Because of this fear, he asks her to put on a mask and fade into the background just so they can “fit in.” He tries to make the connection smaller so it feels safer. By the time he realizes that her unique spark was exactly what made her who she was, it’s gone. The connection is extinguished. He is left with a lifetime of “What Ifs,” spent looking for her specific frequency in every other person he meets—only to realize that she is a ghost who cannot be found in anyone else because he was too afraid to hold the real version of her.
“The Top Five Regrets of the Dying” by Bronnie Ware: A visceral companion to our discussion on the “Ghost of Later.” It proves that the number one regret people have is not having the courage to express their true feelings while they still had the time.
“Daring Greatly” by Brené Brown: To help you understand that the “Messy Start” isn’t something to be ashamed of—it’s the only way to be brave.
Self Image 