Simply Op

If an author likes your blog post, is the cardinal rule to purchase their book and read it? That was my response after reading the synopsis and locating the paperback book on Amazon. It was an indirect prompt for a book that I didn’t know I needed.

(Now, pause and go read the book summary for yourself).

Toady (08/04/2026) I found a small spot of shade beneath a tree that sits medial to Look Out Point and Inspiration Point in Corona Del Mar, CA. After reviewing some of the photos I took on my beach I walk, I committed to reading a book titled “Letters from Jasper” written by Anthony Winn. Immediately, I fell in love with the main characters (Omar and Jasper). The character personalities and character development were solid. I never felt lost, confused, or bored. It flowed well, had humor, was eventful, and was full of wisdom.

Would you like to know the similarities I share with Omar (one the main characters)?
– we both have a name that starts with “O” and is 4-letters
– we are both wired with anxious brains (prone to worry, prone to run away)
– we both have experience with estrangement (I went from talking to my parents daily to not talking to them at all)
– we both benefit from having individuals like “Jasper” in our lives (someone who is older, wiser, and able to remind us that everything is going to be okay even when everything seems to be falling apart)
– we both lost someone to cancer (my “coffee mom-Pats” died of pancreatic cancer; Jasper went to the grave with a diet coke; Pats went to the grave with coffee)
– we both have felt lost, unsure of our purpose, and scared (all of the emotions all at once)
– we both have embarked on a trip from the Midwest to CA (and soon I will be embarking on a trip from CA to the Midwest)
Comment: Hopefully, my trip does not involve cops, similarly brings restoration to a strained relationship, and is slightly less eventful
– we both have experienced the end of a relationship (hoping for closure)
All of these similarities made the book highly relatable for me. I felt like I needed to read the letters from Jasper just as much as Omar did. I even wished I had read them a little sooner.

Hopefully the author doesn’t mind, but I took note of some of my favorite quotes from the book:
– “That’s what you do in life – you figure it out; everything is figureoutable. You just gotta take action, son.”
– “… there is great treasure to be found in this world.”
– “…you have an internal compass…”
– “Aye, the road code- you help others out, and eventually, you get helped out…”
– “Worrying won’t add an hour to my life.”
– “You can’t waste time doin’ shit that doesn’t fill you up. You gotta follow your energy, otherwise, the energy will run out.”
– “Family over everything.”
– “Be quick to forgive, as it’s what really heals you and allows you to move forward. And don’t forget yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone.” (p. 182, I will need to read this again)
– “As humans, the heaviest things we carry aren’t what we hold with our hands. It’s what we hold with our hearts.”
– “Time doesn’t heal; it numbs. Acceptance, that’s what heals.” (p. 186)
– “Because only an idiot would let one bad experience ruin all future experiences” (Comment: this one challenged me as I currently hate holidays… Scrooge style; do I need to hate the future holidays because the past one(s) hurt… no).
– “You must never forget that while life can pile on… you can release… you are allowed to let go.”
– “Human– we beat ourselves up. But we are not our past. We are not our mistakes.” (p. 213)
– “We were created to marvel, not to control.”
– “Focus on what’s right in front of you… and trust.” (p. 223)
– “I want to go home.”
– “After all, the same roads that carry you away are the ones that carry you home.”

At the end of this book, you will find a call-to-action… to write a letter to the people you love. Don’t leave the words in your heart and mind unspoken. Oh, and you can tag #LettersFrom Jasper on social media if you’d like. I love this because I appreciate snail mail, handwritten notes, and the power that words have in one’s life. A well-timed “I love you” and “I’m proud of you” could make a difference. xo

To end this post, I would just like to extend a thank you to the author for indirectly prompting me to read his book. Whether you are an Omar (hah, or an Opal) or a Jasper, you are worthy of giving and receiving love no matter what.

Love,
Simply Op