Book it
To those of you who don’t me, I recently retired. This fact will make the following make more sense. I’ve recently made it a priority to read. I’ve never been an avid reader — mainly because my mind tends to drift off to ALL those things I should be doing instead of sitting still — if you know what I mean.
My first goal is to read the New Testament. Every word. I most likely have read most of it, however, it’s on my list to make sure I’ve accomplished it. I’ve tried to read the Bible in a Year via an app that lays it all out there for you each day. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for me. If you haven’t checked it out, It’s like an author picks out different sentences or paragraphs out of different chapters of a book in an attempt to help you complete the whole book and understand its meaning all at the same time. I know it works for many, but not so much for me. My drifting mind – drifts, and then I catch myself asking what I just read. So, I started reading in Matthew, and I’m not going to stop until I reach the end of the New Testament. My goal is to complete the whole thing without a hiccup.
Next, I’ve been reading novels. I can’t EVEN believe I’m saying this. A daughter-in-law loaned me a few when I was visiting the kids a few months ago. I thought, why not. I started reading It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover, on our flight home and couldn’t put it down! Would I recommend it? Let’s just say — 400 pages later, I was sad it was over.
I recently told a (an avid reader) friend that I couldn’t believe I read a novel that had so many pages (ha). Her eyes lit up and told me I HAD to read The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah. She didn’t tell me it was more than FIVE hundred pages (!) when I told her I would love to give it a try. I admit, I am loving it. What has been a little more challenging is that the author uses some vocabulary that I’ve never heard of, so I’ve had to look up some definitions. It’s been a good challenge for me and a good feeling of achievement.
I guess the purpose behind this post is to encourage you to try something new. It truly lifts your spirits and gives you a feeling of accomplishment. People often think of experiences like jumping out of a plane, going on a big trip, or joining a group of some type. Although those are all good and admirable, sometimes that something new can be as easy as grabbing a book and shutting out the world.
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