A review by zigzagzmak
For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World by Sasha Sagan
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
"Being alive...[is] profoundly beautiful and staggeringly unlikely...For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love."
I've never read a book that so accurately depicts and reflects my own relationship with spirituality and our cosmic insignificance. That attitude is so often one that is portrayed as a sad, small and scared position. But to me, and to Sagan, there is beauty and miracle in the vastness of our universe, and the luck that allows us to be alive. She says "our vast universe provides us with enough profound and beautiful truths to live a spiritually meaningful life."
Life as a non-religious person can sometimes mean that finding specific rituals and bids for connection with community is difficult. Sagan suggests in this book ways to find daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and seasonal celebrations, as well as ways to mark births, deaths, and marriage. These ideas resonated with me deeply and encourage me to find those things for myself and my loved ones.
Sagan says "I don't think that faith is a requirement to see a world full of provable miracles and profound meaning," and I agree with her.
I quoted part of her wtiting at my grandparents' memorial service when I spoke, because I think my athiest grandfather would have loved Sagan's view of the world.
I plan to return to this book and find solace in Sagan's words.
I've never read a book that so accurately depicts and reflects my own relationship with spirituality and our cosmic insignificance. That attitude is so often one that is portrayed as a sad, small and scared position. But to me, and to Sagan, there is beauty and miracle in the vastness of our universe, and the luck that allows us to be alive. She says "our vast universe provides us with enough profound and beautiful truths to live a spiritually meaningful life."
Life as a non-religious person can sometimes mean that finding specific rituals and bids for connection with community is difficult. Sagan suggests in this book ways to find daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and seasonal celebrations, as well as ways to mark births, deaths, and marriage. These ideas resonated with me deeply and encourage me to find those things for myself and my loved ones.
Sagan says "I don't think that faith is a requirement to see a world full of provable miracles and profound meaning," and I agree with her.
I quoted part of her wtiting at my grandparents' memorial service when I spoke, because I think my athiest grandfather would have loved Sagan's view of the world.
I plan to return to this book and find solace in Sagan's words.