"Fiction, nonfiction, written by a whole diversity of people whose lives and viewpoints are different from mine…in all of these, I can find Him if I pay attention."
Overall I feel this essay pointedly. I beat myself up for not finishing books as if I have some obligation to the writer. But this is not the case and is just me putting unnecessary pressure on myself. I tend to allow this pressure to push me away from books for a while. Thanks for the reminder that it's okay to not finish a book.
Also, looking for "the Word" within all books is a beautiful and powerful notion. Thanks for sharing.
"Listening" is a word that is more appealing to me than "mindfulness". It evokes imagery of pausing in a forest and trying to separate all the sounds I hear from each other and think about what each creature is. Or it's trying to listen past the words someone is saying to me and get to the meaning they are trying to convey. Reading as listening is such a great idea. It is a way to practice "listening" so that we can listen in every sense of the word to what we are experiencing every day.
I like these tips. I'm able to power through books whether I like them or not, and sometimes I do (if I'm begrudgingly interested in the plot or the characters (often it isn't both) even if not the writing. But I'm a slow reader, so it's tough for me to get through a book at a reasonable pace. Tips and habits like these really do help take the pressure off. One thing that's helped me know that it's OKAY to not finish a book is little free libraries and this restaurant near me that offers free second-hand books with a meal. If I didn't pay for it and I don't HAVE to return it, the only obligation I have is to myself and whether that particular book is how I want to use my reading time.
I'm a slow reader, too and relate to this struggle to get through books at a reasonable pace. A lot of people say they read a chapter before bed, but depending on how long that chapter is....that could be a considerable amount of time for me! This restaurant also sounds amazing! A free second-hand book with a meal?! That's so cool.
"Fiction, nonfiction, written by a whole diversity of people whose lives and viewpoints are different from mine…in all of these, I can find Him if I pay attention."
Overall I feel this essay pointedly. I beat myself up for not finishing books as if I have some obligation to the writer. But this is not the case and is just me putting unnecessary pressure on myself. I tend to allow this pressure to push me away from books for a while. Thanks for the reminder that it's okay to not finish a book.
Also, looking for "the Word" within all books is a beautiful and powerful notion. Thanks for sharing.
"Listening" is a word that is more appealing to me than "mindfulness". It evokes imagery of pausing in a forest and trying to separate all the sounds I hear from each other and think about what each creature is. Or it's trying to listen past the words someone is saying to me and get to the meaning they are trying to convey. Reading as listening is such a great idea. It is a way to practice "listening" so that we can listen in every sense of the word to what we are experiencing every day.
I like these tips. I'm able to power through books whether I like them or not, and sometimes I do (if I'm begrudgingly interested in the plot or the characters (often it isn't both) even if not the writing. But I'm a slow reader, so it's tough for me to get through a book at a reasonable pace. Tips and habits like these really do help take the pressure off. One thing that's helped me know that it's OKAY to not finish a book is little free libraries and this restaurant near me that offers free second-hand books with a meal. If I didn't pay for it and I don't HAVE to return it, the only obligation I have is to myself and whether that particular book is how I want to use my reading time.
I'm a slow reader, too and relate to this struggle to get through books at a reasonable pace. A lot of people say they read a chapter before bed, but depending on how long that chapter is....that could be a considerable amount of time for me! This restaurant also sounds amazing! A free second-hand book with a meal?! That's so cool.
If you're ever in New England, hit me up. I meet with out of towners there all the time. 😊
Also: THREE free second hand books!
I have so many books that I need to read. However, lately, I'm finding it hard to pick up a book and read for any length of time.
I did manage to get through chapter ten of @JSebastionKing's Brighthouse. For some reason, I'm now driven to write more than to read.