Becoming
I miss the years of the Obama administration. It's not that Obama was a perfect president, but he was a great one. He was thoughtful and deliberate and really cared about people. He did what he could to make life better for all Americans. And if he didn't always succeed, he spoke more to the complex nature of the problems, his own limited time, and the nature of the obstacles he was facing than his motives or character.
Reading Michelle Obama's memoir was an excellent way to revisit those years and remember what hope and change feel like. To take a step back and recognize all the seeds they planted that will hopefully reap positive benefits in the years to come. Change is slow, but it's constant.
This book was delightful, and it really left me in awe of Michelle Obama. She goes to great lengths to emphasize that she's just another person. That she faces a lot of the same struggles as everyone else. But she also had a lot of advantages, from a family that never failed to support her to a whole slew of mentors who helped open doors for her. And she's always looking for ways to pass those advantages on to the next generation.
That's what really gets me about her. The way she manages to live her values so fully. Before she was thrust into the spotlight she didn't care much about clothes. When she realized that people were paying attention to what she was wearing, she was initially frustrated. Clothes didn't seem as important as the things she was saying and doing. But she quickly found a way to integrate her values into her fashion choices and use this unexpected platform to draw attention to lesser known designers. She's always on the lookout for more ways to encourage and support people and open doors for them, and she's excellent at finding the opportunity in every frustration.
I loved reading this book and learning more about her and her family and the constant balancing act that was Obama's presidency. It made me feel more hopeful about the future than I have in a long time, and I'm actually excited to see what comes next (once we get rid of the current president, that is).
Reading Michelle Obama's memoir was an excellent way to revisit those years and remember what hope and change feel like. To take a step back and recognize all the seeds they planted that will hopefully reap positive benefits in the years to come. Change is slow, but it's constant.
This book was delightful, and it really left me in awe of Michelle Obama. She goes to great lengths to emphasize that she's just another person. That she faces a lot of the same struggles as everyone else. But she also had a lot of advantages, from a family that never failed to support her to a whole slew of mentors who helped open doors for her. And she's always looking for ways to pass those advantages on to the next generation.
That's what really gets me about her. The way she manages to live her values so fully. Before she was thrust into the spotlight she didn't care much about clothes. When she realized that people were paying attention to what she was wearing, she was initially frustrated. Clothes didn't seem as important as the things she was saying and doing. But she quickly found a way to integrate her values into her fashion choices and use this unexpected platform to draw attention to lesser known designers. She's always on the lookout for more ways to encourage and support people and open doors for them, and she's excellent at finding the opportunity in every frustration.
I loved reading this book and learning more about her and her family and the constant balancing act that was Obama's presidency. It made me feel more hopeful about the future than I have in a long time, and I'm actually excited to see what comes next (once we get rid of the current president, that is).
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