I've spent the last two years "reading to escape" the spectacular awfulness of the current state of our country. I thought one way to cope with my stress level was to keep reading--which normally is my calming technique for anything that makes me worry or stress out. Give me all the cozy fantasy, the feel-good reads--I want to escape through a book that doesn't give me anxiety, not one tiny bit.
However, I've had a bit of a big moment of self-realization this week while I've been on a staycation at home. Surrounded by all my books, flitting from one to another, starting but not finishing dozens of books. I've been thinking about years past, when I was a bookseller, and how much I absolutely loved diving into all sorts of books--especially novels that made me shout out loud, curse, run to my friends to discuss. And non-fiction--reading about all the interesting bits of history and the people who shape the world. I realized I missed that so very, very much.
I've decided it's time to stop trying to escape, and instead get back to the love of reading I have that has been dimmed a bit. I'm truthful in saying I've been dumbing myself down, and F*** that! We desperately need all the appreciation and love for the arts and humanities. I need to do my part in spreading my enthusiasm for reading, writing, and books.
It's going to be a journey, for sure. And it won't happen overnight. While I would love to sit and read all day, it's just not possible. But, I can definitely start by limiting social media and time on my phone.
There are a few books I'm excited to read over the summer--new books coming out. Mary Kay Andrews has a new book out in a few weeks,
and I absolutely love her novels. But, I will also be working on going back and finishing books I've started and set aside. Here are a few on that list:
I'm also reading Yesteryear, which is the hottest book this month. People either love it or hate it. I'm about 100 pages in, and set it aside because I got distracted. I'll pick it up again and finish it.
I'm also going to start posting my reviews again. I stopped last year because it just became too much, and after 15 years of steadily posting on my blog, I was burnt out. It all comes down to my love of talking about books. There's no monetary reward, and it takes time to post and blog, but I do enjoy it even if I feel like I'm shouting into the void. Comments are welcome!!
Anyway, here's to listening to that inner voice that says "Get your shit together, girl!" It promises to be a very busy summer, but I'll carve out time to sit on my deck, relax, and read.
