Blue like Jazz: Nonreligious thoughts on Christian Spirituality

Blue like Jazz is my favorite book. I usually come back to it when I am overwhelmed by my life and that is exactly where I've been at these last couple days. I come back to it again and again because I take something new away from it each and every time I read it. It always gives me what I need. I don't think I have ever said this about a book before, but the Author's Note is my favorite part of the book. It certainly isn't long but it is the part of the book that I get the most from almost every time I read the book. I read it over and over and just let myself be enveloped by it like a warm bubble bath absorbs you when you get into the bathtub.



Here is the Note:


I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Baghdad Theatre one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes and he never opened his eyes.

After that I liked jazz music.

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.

I used to not like God because God didn’t resolve. But that was before any of this happened.

Lately, I have been wondering where my life is going, what do I want my life to be remembered for and what kind of person am I really? I can at times be selfless but more often than not I find myself being selfish. I find myself taking things personally when I know they are not meant to be personal attacks. And I really don't like that about myself. So. How do I change that? What do I have to work on about myself to get to where I want to be? This is why I came back to BLJ.

Yesterday should have been a great day but I found myself making it all about me and as a result missing out on some things that probably would've ended up a little differently had I given them a chance. On my way home I started crying in the car, something I very rarely do. So I called my friend Jenn. She let me cry and get out some of the frustrations I had been feeling over the last couple days. It was after her call that brought me back to reality just by letting me talk about it, that I was able to just let it all go and enjoy the rest of the night, which was a great night! We decorated our tree, took next year's Christmas card photo and had a fun night of dancing to the sugar plum fairy.

This is why I came back to Blue Like Jazz. This book makes me realize that things aren't always all about me, and aren't always what they seem. It teaches me to look a little deeper, try a bit harder, give up to God the things that hurt and sometimes to be upset when I need to be upset.

BLJ has a whimsical way to make you think about the serious things in your life. With Chapters called, Penguin Sex, the Sexy Carrots, and Meeting Girls is Easy, how could you not have fun reading it? However, the message in each of these chapters is far more self-reflective than he would lead you to believe. Donald Miller's writing style is effortless, it is like you are having a conversation with an old and familiar friend who is telling you his take on life, which is always more interesting than mine.

I look forward to reading it over the next couple nights and bringing my life back in focus which is always the result of reading this book. Please check it out, you won't be disappointed.