Get Lost in a Book
From a very young age I fell in love with reading, I remember
being told off as a child for reading under the covers with a torch when I was
meant to be sleeping. Once I got into a book there was no stopping me, I was
off in a different world, completely absorbed. The rest of the world
slipped away. My seven-year-old daughter does the same now and I struggle to
hide my smile when I’m telling her to put her book away. The truth is, I
couldn’t be happier that both my son and daughter enjoy reading so much. Over
the last couple of years, I have witnessed their passion for reading grow and
it makes me feel proud to think that perhaps they did get something positive
from me after all.
I could happily spend an entire day lost in a book. I prefer fiction or a memoir as I find it incredibly difficult to stay focused (and awake), and retain information from dense factual books, although I am aware that studies have shown that reading can actually help with memory. The problem is that while I know that we should continue to learn not just at school but throughout our lives, I just feel happier with my head stuck in a fictional novel.
Fiction teaches us empathy and to me empathy is the most important quality a person can possess. With empathy we are able to live a life with compassion and kindness. I want my children growing up always considering how their actions might affect other people. To be able to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.
Strangely when I am in a bad place mentally, I struggle to pick up a book. I know full well that reading always makes me feel better but at bad times I struggle to focus enough to reap the rewards. It has been proven that reading has many health benefits, like reducing stress, helping with depression and even reducing the chances of developing Alzheimer’s in later life, so I always push myself to try even though it’s a struggle. The solution for me at times like this, is to read a book of short stories so I can dip in and out of it, or a self-help book that promotes positive thinking or working through any of the issues that are making me feel down in the first place.
My taste is continuously evolving with me as I age and I am always open to recommendations. I like to have a pile of books that I haven’t read yet and keep them separate from my other books. I want to give them each their turn in the spotlight. I like to take a couple of days off reading after finishing a book, to digest it properly. Think about the characters and what I liked or disliked about the story. I forget the titles and the authors, but the stories always stay with me.
People often say they don’t have the time to read and there was a period in my life when I felt like that. When my kids were young, I was exhausted and felt like I didn’t have a minute to think let alone read. However, I did manage to watch a lot of tv, hours and hours of mind numbing tv, especially in the middle of the night when one of the babies was awake in my arms. I should have turned the tv off and read a book. Now I switch the tv off earlier and read for half an hour and take a book to some of the kids after school activities so instead of driving home and then back again, I can just sit in my car with a good book with no distractions.
There is always time, carry a book in your bag so that you can take advantage of time that would otherwise be wasted. Reading makes me happy, relaxed and calm (unless it’s a thriller). Although, I am occasionally sad to say goodbye to a character. Eleanor Oliphant (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman) was one of those characters. I felt like I knew and understood her, she reminded me of people I know. I just didn’t want to let go but of course I had to, and she was replaced eventually.
If you have got out of the habit of reading, please pick up a book. Reading enriches your life in immeasurable ways. Keep reading, keep learning, keep feeling and remember that this too, is part of the journey to intentional living.
I could happily spend an entire day lost in a book. I prefer fiction or a memoir as I find it incredibly difficult to stay focused (and awake), and retain information from dense factual books, although I am aware that studies have shown that reading can actually help with memory. The problem is that while I know that we should continue to learn not just at school but throughout our lives, I just feel happier with my head stuck in a fictional novel.
Fiction teaches us empathy and to me empathy is the most important quality a person can possess. With empathy we are able to live a life with compassion and kindness. I want my children growing up always considering how their actions might affect other people. To be able to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.
Strangely when I am in a bad place mentally, I struggle to pick up a book. I know full well that reading always makes me feel better but at bad times I struggle to focus enough to reap the rewards. It has been proven that reading has many health benefits, like reducing stress, helping with depression and even reducing the chances of developing Alzheimer’s in later life, so I always push myself to try even though it’s a struggle. The solution for me at times like this, is to read a book of short stories so I can dip in and out of it, or a self-help book that promotes positive thinking or working through any of the issues that are making me feel down in the first place.
My taste is continuously evolving with me as I age and I am always open to recommendations. I like to have a pile of books that I haven’t read yet and keep them separate from my other books. I want to give them each their turn in the spotlight. I like to take a couple of days off reading after finishing a book, to digest it properly. Think about the characters and what I liked or disliked about the story. I forget the titles and the authors, but the stories always stay with me.
People often say they don’t have the time to read and there was a period in my life when I felt like that. When my kids were young, I was exhausted and felt like I didn’t have a minute to think let alone read. However, I did manage to watch a lot of tv, hours and hours of mind numbing tv, especially in the middle of the night when one of the babies was awake in my arms. I should have turned the tv off and read a book. Now I switch the tv off earlier and read for half an hour and take a book to some of the kids after school activities so instead of driving home and then back again, I can just sit in my car with a good book with no distractions.
There is always time, carry a book in your bag so that you can take advantage of time that would otherwise be wasted. Reading makes me happy, relaxed and calm (unless it’s a thriller). Although, I am occasionally sad to say goodbye to a character. Eleanor Oliphant (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman) was one of those characters. I felt like I knew and understood her, she reminded me of people I know. I just didn’t want to let go but of course I had to, and she was replaced eventually.
If you have got out of the habit of reading, please pick up a book. Reading enriches your life in immeasurable ways. Keep reading, keep learning, keep feeling and remember that this too, is part of the journey to intentional living.
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