The Secret Life of Bees

I recently finished reading this fabulous little book by Sue Monk Kidd called the Secret Life of Bees. It's so innocent and insightful. It's about love, second chances, self- doubt, and forgiving one's self.

I loved the southern feel to it. The imagery was absolutely beautiful. I felt like I was in this sensual little Tiburon town in South Carolina with Black Madonna Honey on my kitchen table. Everything sounded lovely and comforting.

The following consists of my favorite lines in the book (ya' know the kind you have to read twice, 'cause they're so good) :

"When I looked up through the web of the trees, the night fell over me, and for a moment I lost my boundaries, feeling like the sky was my own skin and the moon was my heart beating up there in the dark. Lightening came, not jagged but soft, golden licks across the sky. I undid the buttons of my shirt and opened it wide, just wanting the night to settle on my skin, and that's how I fell asleep, lying there with my mother's things, with the air making moisture on my chest and the sky puckering with light."

"Leaning back on my elbows, I slid down till the water sealed over my head. I held my breath and listened to the scratch of river against my ears, sinking as far as I could into that shimmering dark world. But I was thinking about a suitcase on the floor, about a face I could never quite see, about the sweet smell of cold cream."

"I relaized it for the first time in my life: there is nothing but mystery in the world, how it hides behind the fabric of our poor, browbeat days, shining brightly, and we don't even know it."

"The word is a great big log thrown on the fires of love."

"In a weird way I must have loved my little collection of hurts and wounds. They provided me with some real nice sympathy, with the feeling I was exceptional."

"Drifting off to sleep, I thought about her. How nobody is perfect. How you just have to close your eyes and breathe out and let the puzzle of the human heart be what it is."