Reading as Self Care
There are a million resources out there on time management and prioritization and habit forming. This is not one of them. You are the expert on all the things on your plate. As they say, you make time for the things that are important. Having said that, if 2020 taught us anything, is that taking care of ourselves is just as important as taking care of all the things balanced on that plate. Sometimes we have to be reminded of that.
That is what this is. A reminder.
I have always loved to read. From the time I started sounding out words, it was as if I finally found the world to which I belonged, and people called it fiction. I would read every chance I got, in the car, at dance class waiting to be picked up, with a flashlight under the covers, even when I was "supposed" to be doing other things, even if there were consequences. As I got older and the list of things I was "supposed" to do got longer and longer, I developed a major case of readers' guilt. Work before play I was told. And for me reading was play. For years I would feel guilty if I sat down to read a book and there were dishes to be done or some box unchecked on the never-ending to-do list.
Until I started putting reading on my to-do list.
For me, reading is just as important to my mental health as exercise is to my physical health. (Note: I prefer reading to exercise) These days I still make lists of things to do, but I make sure that at least one item in the self-care category gets checked off every day. And while it's not always reading, I do read more than I did before. Guilt free! So whether you are a habit tracker, a list maker or an add it to the schedule person - You are important. Reading is good for you. You deserve to do more of it.
And I also give you permission to go to the bookstore.
Reading as Quality Time
Growing up I was the only one in my family that was considered a reader. But then one day my mom discovered a historical fiction series that she really loved. When she finished the first one she gave it to me to read, and suddenly we were reading together. Not always at the same time or out loud, but it became something that we shared, a way of connecting that was just ours.
When I was 14 my best friend and I read War of the Worlds (H.G. Wells) out loud to each other, a chapter at a time. I love to share my favorite books with the people I love and talk about them over a cup of coffee. And nothing is more romantic on date night than sharing favorite poems with a significant other. My absolute favorite thing to do as a family is when we gather in my daughter's room, cats and all, and read a book out loud at bedtime. I haven't told her yet but I fully plan on sitting outside her closed door when she is a teenager and still read to her. Loudly so she can hear it over her headphones.
They say the best way to encourage your children to read is to do it in front of them. I'm not sure if it works with dogs and cats too, but it can't hurt, right? If you don't have anyone to read to, check out the local libraries or elder care homes, or even pet shelters to see if you can volunteer. Believe it or not, there are loads of people who love being read to. Like me. You are always welcome to read to me.
Reading to Unwind
It is so tempting these days to take your phone to bed, watch Netflix or play candy crush as a way to decompress from the day. But here is your chance. Your one task at this point is to get a good night's sleep. And one of the best ways to do just that is by turning off the screens, putting on some soft jazz or piano music, (a glass of wine if you dare) cuddle up and read. You may not want War and Peace (L. Tolstoy) next to your bed or anything too intense. The goal is to sleep after all. Short stories or essays are perfect for the bedside table. Or sometimes I have a stack of what I call "comfort books". The ones you loved the first time and couldn't wait to re-read. The ones that if you fall asleep and lose your place, the world doesn't end. I find these help to quiet my mind without asking too much of it in return.
I always try to include recommendations in my posts so I will leave you with a few of my comfort books. Happy reading!
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Ann of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling
High Tide in Tucson by Barbara Kingsolver
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