Falling Upward

Some books are like comforting, wise old friends. That’s how I feel about Falling Upward by Richard Rohr, the book I’m reading right now.

The book is about the further journey some of us take after the survival concerns of the first half of life have been successfully wrestled with — things like earning a living, mating, and child rearing.

Rohr is wise, incorporating a lifetime of knowledge into this little book. Isn’t that what the best writers do? They see connections everywhere and synthesize them for us; they put the human experience — our experience — into words. In this way, they leave us enriched, wiser, and comforted with the knowledge that we are not alone.

(On the topic of “little book,” the trim size is 4X6. I’m always a sucker for a trim trim, so to speak — it makes a book a pleasure to hold. And the jacket is well designed with nicely contrasting typefaces, beautiful neutral tones, and lots of great blurbs. One person calls Rohr “prophetic, pastoral, practical.”)

Rohr establishes rapport right away: He demonstrates inclusiveness and openness at the beginning of the book — sure indications of a wise soul. I find myself anticipating the moments I’m going to spend with this book.

Unfortunately, with only 167 pages, those moments won’t last long enough.