“I and Thou,” Martin Buber – 1937

 

It’s a little bit philosophically dense and a bit difficult to work through, but it’s a beautiful description of how we relate to the world and of the importance of attending to the relationships in our lives. And not just relationships between people but relationships between things, relationships between us and God. It talks about two different kinds of relationships and gives us a vision for how we might be relational in our living. I think it’s a book that every time I go back and read it, I see new things through it. 

 

“Life is Beautiful” – 1997

 

It’s a classic. It’s a two-part film. First it is a love story about marriage and early family life and then they are sent to a prison camp. So the second half of the story is very much a tragedy. But it’s about how this man is able to, through a persistent ability to see joy, savor joy, and see the beauty in life, is able to make those around him, especially his child, able to overcome just intensely tragic and horrific things through his vision for the world around him. You will cry and you will laugh, and I don’t know if there’s too many movies that can make you do both of those things at the same time. 

 

“The Lighthouse’s Tale,” Nickel Creek – 2001

 

Nickel Creek is just a really fun band, and you should definitely listen to their stuff. They’re a really talented group and the variety they play is pretty fun. “The Lighthouse’s Tale” is a good story song as well as just delightful mandolin behind it and certainly moving, but also you can tell that the band really likes playing with each other, and I think it comes out in their music. I’ve seen them live a couple of times and they’re really fun in concert as well.