"Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here."
I very rarely revisit books. In fact, there are only a handful that I've reread twice, let alone three times. I don't typically like the feeling of revisiting a story time and time again because I feel like the mystery is left out of it. When trying to reread a book I really like the first time around, I usually find myself skipping pages or skimming chapters, which is no way to read a book. But The Secret Life of Bees makes to that last list, with only Little Women to accompany it.
"Someone who thinks death is the scariest thing doesn't know a thing about life."
I love the characters in the story, especially August. Sue Monk Kidd crafts these strong, beautiful women who carry a story from start to finish without using too many stereotypes to make her point. August, May, and June come from this quirky family that stands as a beacon during the time of the Civil Rights movement. To the community, they are the black mark in a sea of clean, white paper. But to Lily, they are the red rose in a sea of green bushes.
"...some things don't matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person's heart--now, that matters. The whole problem with people is...they know what matters, but they don't choose it...The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters."
The book has so many layers that you can unpack, which I suppose it why I can enjoy it reading after reading. I always learn something new from the sisters or notice something new about Lily. And it's a heartbreaking story, which always helps me release emotional tension. I guess all women find that one book or movie that makes them cry in a healthy way. Well, mine is certainly The Secret Life. But it's empowering and celebrates strong women, which is what a girl like me needs to hear from time to time...
"It is the peculiar nature of the world to go on spinning no matter what sort of heartbreak is happening."
It's a big that stirs up conversation, especially if you've ever been the victim of abuse or felt the loss of a mother or father at too young of an age. Thankfully, I've never experienced either, but I've certainly been witness to the same stuff that Lily went through. The book serves as a reminder that family is often what you build out of the people around you.
“Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about.”
Above all, it stands as a wonderful reminder that things aren't always what they seem, especially if you're looking through rose-colored glasses. Life is sticky sometimes, just like bees' honey. And there's always a secret life going on behind the facade you see.
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