I finished reading a lengthy nonfiction book about two weeks ago, and I am still only half way through Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. I really enjoyed The Cave and the Light. It was deep but I learned much about philosophy and history by reading it over the course of two months. I have started making a post about it. Someday I’ll post it.
I used to have Homer on my side table. Now I have Little Golden Books. I used to spend my evenings reading for pleasure. Now I prepared for the next day of homeschooling, created products that help teach various concepts, keeping my hyper-active toddler busy, and so forth. Way back when I began this blog, I thought it was crazy when people said they did not have time to read. No time to read! Insane. Reading is a daily necessity.
I have come to a new part of my life. Reading is still a huge part of my life, but it is not for my own pleasure so much as it is an addition to my parenting, a requirement for getting other things together. In other words, I choose not to read when I do get some precious quiet moments. I choose to do something else. Watching a brain-numbing television show is much easier when my brain is tired! So if I ever say, “I don’t have time to read!” I really just mean, I’ve chosen to do something else with my time.
I’ve been thinking that maybe I’ll start a weekly or bi-weekly “Kids Corner” or “Baby’s Sunday Salon” to highlight some of the wonderful children’s books I’ve discovered. There are so many wonderful books out there. One of these days I’ll find the right balance again.
What do you choose to do when you aren’t reading? What are you reading right now?
Just after my daughter was born in 2012, a friend told me in all honesty that it takes a full two years to feel like yourself again after a baby joins your family. Well, it’s been just over two years, and I feel that is true: I’m finally starting to feel like myself again, in many ways.
