Almost Everything is a manifesto of hope, something we desperately need these days. This short book that is long on wisdom is a balm to the soul. Anne Lamott’s thoughts on faith, on relationships, on writing, on family, and on unplugging offer a refreshing antidote to the noise of our cell phones, televisions, tablets, and social media. Whether she’s trying to figure out how to support her alcoholic friend without trying to take over her life or having her Sunday school class acknowledge out loud, “I has value,” Lamott does her best to write with honesty, transparency, and grace.

I have been listening to Anne Lamott read Almost Everything to me in my car, which means I have been starting my day with her workaday spirituality every morning this week. And that has been such a blessing. As Almost Everything is about hope, that means I’ve had a daily injection of hope, of humor, of insight, and a reminder to keep my shoes tied and to stay present in the moment.

Listening to (or reading) Anne Lamott is like having a best friend who is both human enough find 81% cacao too bitter to eat and a spiritual guru who remind you of the beauty of a plum. She is wise and fallible, smart and petty, strong and tired, funny and fearful, making me feel that it’s okay to be full of foibles, of cupcakes, of paradoxes and all the other things that make us human.

She makes me think, reminds me to breathe, and sometimes makes me laugh out loud. She reminds me that it’s okay to pray, encourages me to live with intention, and makes me feel that all my failures and losses will turn out okay in the end. Her gentle dignity about this messy life makes me not only want to be a better person but to believe that that is possible, maybe even probable. Because I has value. And so do you.

Galleys for Almost Everything were provided by Riverhead Books through Edelweiss, with many thanks, but I bought the audio book myself through Audible.