I knew freedom by Easter was too optimistic a goal.
And can we all agree that this extension was going to happen regardless of how seriously our neighbors took social distancing?
Diseases spread. It’s kind of what they do best. Especially ones without vaccines.
But I digress.
Today is not a debate.
Today is looking at the calendar and saying, 30 more days? 30 more days? 30 more days!
There is so much we can do with 30 days. Changes we can make. New lifestyle habits we can create. My encouragement for you is to not increase your TV time in these days but to use some of your extra time to read*.
*And if you haven’t been a reader for a while**, then to become reacquainted with reading.
**Like, since you were in school and were required to read.
While I make the argument for reading, you must know, there was a long span of time somewhere between getting married and summersaulting through several different jobs where I barely read. Once I cracked back into it, I discovered the most important part of reading is making sure you find what interests you most. There are certain books which bore me silly but excite others. Then there are other books I can read in one sitting because I am so enthralled with them.
But keep an open mind. What you like might just surprise you.
My SIL, Sam, and I were recently talking about this when we went to a Murder Mystery dinner together*. She had just finished a mystery novel** which she unexpectedly enjoyed after thinking mysteries weren’t really her thing.
*More on that later.
**Um, SIL, what was the name of it? Because I need to read it!
For me, I’ve learned my reading preferences are a lot like my life, scattered across multiple interests.
In case you are looking for somewhere to start, here are a few recent reads and all-time favorites.
What I’m Currently Reading:
Abaddon’s Gate, book III of The Expanse series* : a science fiction series where the other planets have been colonized
*I’m a horrible example as I watched seasons 1-3 of The Expanse before reading the books. Don’t be like me. Read the book* first.
*This is a blanket statement where books and movies are concerned.
Books I Have Recently Read (and enjoyed):
What Alice Forgot : a quick read about what it would be like to forget the last ten years of your life
The Tattooist of Auschwitz : based on the story of a Holocaust survivor who worked as the tattooist in Auschwitz
Fences : a short, yet powerful, play, set during the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s
All-Time Favorites*
*Note: This is not an exhaustive list, but a diversified one. My qualifier for this list was the answer ‘yes’ to the question, Would I read it again?
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers : as told by Maria, her voice is comical, entertaining, and filled with beauty
On Writing : a not so ordinary piece by Stephen King, a necessary read for anyone who enjoys writing
The Help : the movie is great, but the book is so much greater
Jane Eyre : one of my favorite classic novels, a love story which is much more than a love story
The Godfather : complete perfection in one book, if you know the story, reading it will be even more thrilling, promise
Animal Farm : a quick read which will make you question freedom and equality on a new level
The Good Neighbor : the biography of everyone’s favorite neighbor, a heartwarming read we could all use right now
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People : powerful life lessons on how to be a better person all around
And finally, if you are like me and trying to figure out how you can budget buying five books you really want to read right now when you have about 50 on your shelf you still need to get to, take note. My library emailed me the other day reminding me* I could take out audiobooks**. A little further research and I discovered I could also borrow ebooks from my local library.
*More like informing me.
**Audiobooks are how I keep myself content when washing dishes.
I suppose maybe I knew this, but disregarded it because I love to hold a book.
But desperate times call for desperate measures. When I finish my current read, I’m heading for my local library’s page and going wild.
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