Frequently over the years we have had customers wistfully say that they wish they had months (or years) when they could do nothing but read. Then maybe they could start whittling down that long list of books they'd like to get to.
Maybe they could take inspiration from Charles and Sue Wells, who happen to live next door to Barbara Brotman, a writer for the Chicago Tribune. During the summer, Brotman noticed that her neighbors would spend sometimes the entire day sitting outside next to each other, each one lost in a book. No conversation, no attending to other duties, just sitting in their back yard reading. Fascinated and inspired by this sight, Brotman decided to ask them about it. The secret, she found out, was simply a matter of priorities. Reading is what they love to do, so they decided to make it a center -- on many days, the center -- of their lives. As Charles Wells said to her, "You have to make a commitment to it. You have to make a decision: Are you going to have clean countertops, or read? We've made that choice. I want to read and understand the world better."
Brotman comments: "Imagine reading not as what you do when you have a few extra minutes, but as a day's destination. Not as dessert, but as the main course. Not as something to sneak in, but a planned activity. Immersing yourself in an engrossing story, turning your mind to see something differently -- why should anyone feel guilty about spending time like that?"
Brotman's article can be found here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment