Discover the Cozy Wisdom in ‘The Year I Stopped to Notice’

If you’re looking for a quaint and cozy book to read that won’t take too much effort, I’d like to recommend The Year I Stopped to Notice by Miranda Keeling.

I read a couple of pages each day over a week’s time whenever I found free moments during my day. I wouldn’t rush through it because you’ll miss the subtle message of the book: Sometimes one needs to slow down, listen to the voices carrying through the air around you.

The Illustrations by Luci Power are fuzzy cute, adorable and proper British. The images don’t overwhelm every single page, but are sparingly sprinkled throughout the book.

It was only yesterday while attending a library book sale that I had the pleasure of over hearing an exchange between a mother and her young son:

Son: What’s your favorite thing about America?

Mother: Well, you.

I pulled a few of my favorites from the book that I’d like to share with you. The first two read like a poem to me and the last two are funny observations heard on public transportation.

1. On a quiet street a mattress rests like an old boat washed ashore, its cargo a broken radiator, some tangled fairy lights and five chips.
2. Man on his phone at Milton Keyes Station: Oh, Okay, well it would’ve been good to have an approximate ETA. I’m made of coffee and lost time.
3. Woman on the bus: What blusher do you use?  Her Friend: Oh, cold air, a brisk walk, alcohol or sometimes the menopause. You?
4. Man on a bus: I did my kids’ Halloween make-up. They loved it, but it scared their friends.  I might have overdone it. I’m a trauma surgeon.

So grab a cuppa, wrap yourself in a cozy blanket, and maybe light a little tea candle to set the mood as you join Miranda Keeling’s daily observations.