25 Books: Jim the Boy

I worry about things. I worry about things that are out of my control. I worry that things will get so complicated that I'll fail. But you know what? Most of the time it's not worth it. Things really are simple when you break them down to their base parts.

That's what I liked about Jim the Boy. It's a story about a ten-year old boy growing up in Depression-era North Carolina. He lives with his widowed mom and three uncles. The short chapters describe different events in Jim's life like getting his first baseball glove, going to school, and hanging out with his uncles. There's nothing grandiose about his plans, nor are there any ulterior motives. He's just there, living.

I make my life complicated. It's not intentional. It just happens. I sign up for something, I commit to something else, and soon I'm "busy" and not able to sit back and appreciate things. I think that is a tendency of millennials.

One scene I liked was when Jim and his uncle were checking out a row of large holes that were being dug for electricity poles. It was a unique sight to a kid who lives without electricity. Uncle Zeno lowered Jim down the hole to check it out. Jim is scared.

When Uncle Zeno let go, Jim thought he  was going to fall a long way, but is feet hit the ground after only a few inches.

There are many times where I worry that I will fall a long way. Rarely has that actually been the case.

Things are simple.