I've been an avid reader since first grade. While I was growing up, my mom took us to the library weekly and we checked out stacks of books. I pretty much read everything Christian at the public library, everything from the school library & our bookshelves at home. I remember chafing for something new to read.
Before I got married I worked the 3-11 shift and it was a frequently discussed "occupational hazard" of those of us who worked that shift- one does not come home from work and immediately fall into bed, even if it is 11:30. The body needed a little time to 'wind down' first. But the rest of the household was already sleeping so doing anything that made noise did not make us very popular with our families, so I became firmly entrenched in the habit of reading till I fell asleep every night. [Enter a non-reader husband.]
But then along came the babies... who make reading temporarily a bit of a luxury. When they were finally sleeping, I was too exhausted to read. And keeping one's place on the page was a challenge with a toddler crawling all over your lap and/or "mom-mom-mom"-ing me. There was a season of reading stacks of books to my kids, but not a whole lot of adult/chapter books. I got tired of reading the same children's books over & over, so I started trundling the kids to the bookmobile every other week. I remember when the librarian encouraged me to check out something for myself, but the thought of having a 2 week deadline on a book... oh, I couldn't possibly read a whole book in 2 weeks! Until I tried it and discovered I could actually.
Still, at that stage of life, it was much easier to listen to a book than actually read it, so I've checked out a 'ton' of audio books from the public library over the years. Dreaded chores -like ironing- are improved by listening to a book while slogging through it. Somehow over the years, it became a lazy habit to listen to books instead of reading them. Plus cue the advent of of DVDs and Netflix. I'm a firm believer in "the book is always better. Period." Don't even get me started on books that were butchered by script writers! But by default it's easier to watch a 2 hour movie than find the time to read the whole book. One of my favorite classics, Gone with the Wind, is an extra chunky book which is reduced to less than 4 hours screen time by merit of being able to show in a single scene what takes 3 pages to describe.
I did not realize how low I had sunk into digital media. Until one day my daughter-in-law shocked me by saying "I didn't know you like to read." What?! How the mighty have fallen! 🙁 I've been working to remedy that. Not that she still sees me reading much- when she stops in, my favorite little person is generally in tow and we're back to 'square one' where it's hard to read when there is a little person bouncing on the couch beside you, jabbering, and sticking her fingers in your ear. FLP [favorite little person] would much rather I read delightful literary classics like "Sheep in a Jeep" and "Quiet Night In" -with her- than burying my nose in a boring adult book. But I am working through a lengthy to-be-read backlog. If you were to peek in our windows evenings, you would likely catch me reading an honest-to-goodness paper book. I'm working on my 16th title for this year... so far. (Not counting audio books.)
I'm enjoying this book, although it does seem to me [halfway in] that it is geared toward people who have abuse or major trauma in their childhood, which I do not. I'm hoping to get to "meat" I can sink my teeth into yet.
The reading challenge is prompting me to read stuff I wouldn't normally pick. A book outside my comfort zone (Gay Girl, Good God)... a poetry book (A Gift of Love)... an award-winning book (TBD -any suggestions?)... a book written by a person of color (Lose Your Mother: Journey along the Atlantic Slave Route)... a book that highlights a part of history I'm not familiar with (Johnstown Flood), and something from the banned books list (honest confession- I chose Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck because it was short, but it was a total strikeout for me. just saying.) At the end of this month when the official reading challenge ends, I have challenged myself to whittle my way through the 60-some books saved on my library wish list.
Over my lifetime I've collected a massive library of books. My shelves are chock full. In addition, I have totes of books stashed in the basement that don't fit onto shelves but that I like too well to get rid of. I rarely buy a book now days until I have read it and decide if I like it well enough to own it i.e. plan to re-read it. Dare I admit aloud? I'm the author & bookshop owner's nightmare because I go in bookstores and covertly snap photos of titles I want to read, then go home and order them from the library. Shame on the author's daughter, bravo for the sagging bookshelves.
Current reading material... Florida vacation, here I come!
#brighterwinter
