My friend had spent a week posting about books.
I had forgotten how much I love reading. Her blog postings make me ache to get back into the hobby of it.
Netflix, Hulu, & the fact that I get into bed before sunset (8p.m. is pushing it for me) has made it harder for me to dedicate myself to the art of reading.
I used to not be able to stop reading. I would get in trouble at school--all the way through freshman year--because I would sneak a book behind my school books or from under my desk to read. In the car, I'd read until it was dark & then hold the book up, using the headlights from other cars to light up the pages.
Now I turn on a show to get ready to go in the morning, turn on a show at break time at work, turn on a show at home to make dinner & do chores, then I turn on a show to fall asleep to..I have come to see this as an ugly trend in my life, but I do happen to love these shows & enjoy watching them, however I see now that they have replaced books in my life.
My friend shared that her family would read together after dinner & that struck me. Growing up my family sat in front of a tv. We tried sitting at the table, however the tv always found a way to sneak in & show up. Take-out food served on trays, fanned out around the tv is my childhood. It has become my grown-up life as well.
My husband is always surprised at how quickly I can devour a novel. He has never known the reader in me, & it makes me really sad that I have let that part of myself go. I want to rediscover that bookaholic & let her wreack havoc.
For me one really great thing about books is the quietness I associate with them. I forget to turn off my radio when I'm driving or cleaning or jogging and just let myself breathe... and reading does that for me. I cut out half of my tv consumption and it's given me the opportunity to be more deliberate with my time- a great letter can be written in an hour! Or the laundry folded and put away.
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