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I finally stopped trying to 'win' our book club discussions
For years, I treated our monthly meetups like a debate stage, coming armed with notes to prove my take on a book was right. The moment I realized how wrong that was happened last month during our talk about 'The Overstory'. I was halfway through explaining why a character's choice was illogical when Sarah, who's usually quiet, just looked at me and said, 'But have you ever loved a tree? I have. That's all I got from that part.' It wasn't an argument, it was a feeling. I had been so focused on being the most 'correct' reader that I missed the point of a book club entirely. It's not about convincing six people in a Portland living room that your analysis is best. It's about hearing how the same words land in six different lives. Now I go in just to listen. Has anyone else had to unlearn being a know-it-all to actually enjoy the club?
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