Book Review — Sheryl Long
Little Pieces of Hope: Happy-Making Things in a Difficult World
Written by Todd Doughty
Todd Doughty, a publishing industry executive, made an Instagram post on March 11, 2020, listing a bunch of things that made him happy. You may recall that was the very same day the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.
Doughty continued to add almost daily pieces of a similar vein to his account. Posting during that uncertain time when most people were isolated, stressed and often afraid of the future. This resulting bright little yellow book came out in 2021.
I originally bought it as a gift for someone who was going through a rough time, but it made me so happy, I bought another one for myself!
Probably this isn’t a book, you could or would want to read straight through. I only manage a few pages at a time. Whether it’s a page-filling list or a short essay or a playlist of music you should listen/relisten to, there is food for thought on every page.
Here are just a few of the items from the list on page 68.
- The way small children end up playing with the box instead of the gift.
- Lily Tomlin, national treasure.
- Rosa Parks, national treasure.
- Meerkats.
- Tonka trucks.
- The fact that art, music, TV shows, books, films, dance and love can be passed from generation to generation.
- Thick wool socks on a chilly night.
- That moment when you know it’s going to be a home run, literally or figuratively.
Every sentence or item in the list can usually spark some memory or reason to be happy and thankful.
Most of the lists are titled “Happy-making things in a difficult world”, but there are also lists titled “Bucket-List Suggestions” and “Things to Look Forward To” and “Things You Might Consider Saying to Someone Today”. Each one is packed with ideas that can inspire a burst of happiness.
Plus, there are wonderful music lists he calls Mix Tapes. (Remember making these on cassettes?) Some of the Mix Tape lists include “Songs for a Slow Dance”, “Rainy Saturday”, “Please Pass the Mashed Potatoes” (songs to accompany a meal), or “Need a Jolt?”. Regardless of whether you love The Beatles or Beethoven, I guarantee there will be memory-jogging songs you’ll fondly recall or new songs you’ll want to discover.
I’m an eternal optimist but I must admit that right now I’m finding it a difficult world. And picking up this book again has helped me remember to cherish little things and remember all the wonder of life that I can still be grateful for.
If you are interested in this gem of a book, the Hillsborough County library has a copy, though I didn’t find it on the Pasco or Pinellas library catalogs. It’s available as a paperback or Kindle version for about $10 on Amazon. Amazon has a great review and also shows a handful of sample pages from the book.
Happy reading!
Sheryl Long graduated with a BA in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida. In the past she sewed custom clothing to earn money for college, managed an independent bookstore on Sanibel Island, was an artist assistant for Robert Rauschenberg, and produced an international TV series for PBS. After retiring as a communications and marketing manager, Sheryl began taking OLLI classes in 2016 and teaching there in 2019. As well as OLLI, she volunteers at a hospice and a hospital. She has a curious mind and loves a good story.
Letter to the Editors — Marilyn Myerson
I’m proud to be Canadian. For all our glaring faults, we are a remarkable people, rising above our own individualized concerns to unite in our strength. The template of our values incorporates niceness (yes! we proudly own that): kindness in community; lending a helping hand. We have no need to shout and bully, our quiet strength guides and provides our success.
I used to be irked when Canada seemed overshadowed or invisible on the world stage; our global contributions and impact overlooked. How many US children learned in school that Canada entered WWI and WWII immediately, no waiting around first to see how our interests were affected.? But now I see those omissions/dismissals as our protective cloak.
And now — now the world sees us, we shed our cloak: we are showing our mettle, our strength, as we joyously speak truth to power.
— Marilyn Myerson
English as the Official Language of the United States — Don Menzel
After nearly 250 years of U.S. history, President Trump has signed an executive order that English is now our official language. No need for Congressional approval. Nor did Bill Clinton need Congressional approval when he signed Executive Order 13166 “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency.” The Trump order claims it will encourage “new Americans to adopt a national language that opens doors to greater opportunities.” Hopeful, but certainly debatable.
Before exploring this issue more fully, here’s some background about official languages. Worldwide, 193 countries recognize an official language with 101 recognizing more than one. English is the most common official language with recognized status in 53 countries.
There are more than 350 languages spoken in the U.S., although English (278 million} is the most common with Spanish (41.8 million), Chinese (3.5 million), Tagalog Philippines (1.8 million), Vietnamese (1.6 million), and Arabic (1.3 million), according to the U.S Census Bureau in 2019. Among the 50 states, 31 states have adopted English as the official language. Nebraska (1920) was the first state. But, states from all regions have adopted English, including Colorado (1988), Florida (1988), Massachusetts (1975), California (1986), and Indiana (1984). Most declarations were by a Constitutional amendment via voter approval, but some were the result of court actions while others declared English the “common public language.”
So, the question now becomes: how will the Trump Administration’s America First mindset chose? Will it choose cohesiveness or divisiveness? Some believe the latter. Anabel Mendoza, the communications director for a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization asserts it means “that if you’re not white, rich and speak English you don’t belong here.”
Others have a different concern. The U. S. is rapidly becoming the most culturally diverse democracy in the world. Some scholars contend that culturally diverse societies pose a dire challenge to democracies. If it is indeed so. Does a one-size fits all “official” language mitigate or exacerbate the challenge.
The answer probably depends on how language conformity is applied. If applied as a “like it or leave it or don’t come” set of choices, the result is likely to be societal tension and divisiveness. The task at hand then for the Trump Administration is to demonstrate that English as the U.S. official policy opens doors to “greater opportunities.” No small task, is it?
One last thought about English as an official policy. As a youngster growing up in rural America, it never occurred to me that I needed to know anything but English in my adult life until I enrolled in a regional public university to fulfill the major requirements for mathematics and receive a bachelor’s degree in the arts. The university required me to take a three-course sequence in a foreign language. With little enthusiasm and resistance, I did so. I learned to my ignorance that learning how to read and speak a language was more than a linguistic exercise. It was also an exercise about learning the norms and ways of a different culture.
Most importantly, in hindsight, I developed a more mature appreciation for cultural tolerance, a tolerance that has served me well in this age of growing cultural diversity in America. I would strongly suggest that cultural tolerance in America begets a stronger democracy. While cultural homogeneity may have positive qualities, it can also have negative qualities if it promotes cultural intolerance. Do you agree or disagree dear reader?
Sources: https://apnews.com/article/trump-declare-english-official-language-5b24f6ac1172803f615cea69e13f8724,
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/most-spoken-languages-in-the-us,
https://www.cnbc.com/2015/11/04/at-least-350-languages-spoken-in-us-homes-new-report.html
Donald C. Menzel, Ph.D. is a past president of the American Society for Public Administration, author and international speaker on ethics reform, and a frequent opinion contributor to OLLI Connects. Don organized OLLI-USF’s China Special Interest Group. He also served as an OLLI-USF faculty member for over 10 years. Together with his wife, Kay, Don divides his time between Florida and Colorado, and contributes commentary on current issues in both locations. Currently, Don and Kay are teaching a four-session course on the life and work of Robert Oppenheimer at Concordia Village. Robert J. Oppenheimer: Life and Times of a Great American, Fridays 3/14 – 4/4 at 10 am.
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