Bright spots beneath the suds

I love it when a book finds me at exactly the right time. Sometimes the connection is obvious, like reading a novel set in winter when the world outside is bundled up too. Other times, it sneaks up on me. A single scene or sentence can illuminate something I hadn’t yet been able to put into words.

Earlier this month, I spent a long weekend at the beach with family. I packed Jenny Jackson’s The Shampoo Effect because of its beachy cover. It felt like an obvious pairing: beach read for beach days.

The trip, for various reasons, wasn’t as restorative as I’d hoped. If anything, it illuminated just how not okay I’ve been lately — how stressed I’ve been, how easily I can be tipped over the edge. I came home with fresh tan lines, sweet memories of my daughter and her cousin playing together, and a vow to find a new therapist.