I don’t remember exactly when I started reading the Dear Sugar column on TheRumpus.net, or how I stumbled across it – all I do know is how many times I’ve found comfort and insight in the lovingly honest words from our dear Sugar.
Around this time last year, Sugar wrote some beautiful words about growing up, milestones and wondering if you’ve completely messed your life up. One of my favorite Sugar passages came from that column: “The most terrible and beautiful and interesting things happen in a life. For some of you, those things have already happened. Whatever happens to you belongs to you. Make it yours. Feed it to yourself even if it feels impossible to swallow. Let it nurture you, because it will.”
Sugar’s writing has always been painfully, brutally, lovingly honest and I dare you to read a few columns without laughing, crying and having some kind of epiphany. For a long time, our dear Sugar was a mystery – an anonymous, tough-loving, advice-wielding, grief-guiding human on the internet who gave advice and feedback to some incredibly profound and gut-wrenching conundrums.
What a pleasant surprise when the current Sugar’s identity was recently revealed as Portland author Cheryl Strayed! Cheryl recently published “Wild” – her account of managing her grief by traveling the Pacific Crest Trail…alone. Strayed’s books and writings have been acclaimed by everyone from her sweet pea readers to the New York Times. Her stories are written with nothing held back; sharing her pain, happiness, confusion and anger with each of her readers.
As a special treat for us Portlanders, Powell’s Books are hosting an evening with Cheryl Strayed and original Dear Sugar author Steve Almond on July 10th at the Bagdad Theatre! Ticket price includes a copy of Strayed’s newest book “Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar,” a collection of her Dear Sugar columns, and Almond’s “Letters from People Who Hate Me.” Tickets on-sale now through Cascade Tickets.
