I read a LOT as a kid and teen. And somewhere along the way in my 20’s and beyond I guess I stopped?Except for the Twilight trilogy - for some reason I squeezed that one into my life and will stand by it being the masterpiece that it is.
Eventually motherhood came along and there definitely was zero thought given to reading for a bunch of those years.
But when my kiddos were 4 and 5 we moved to a new part of town and while we were walking around and exploring the neighbourhood I discovered a Free Little Library tucked away on someone’s yard. I opened it up and browsed the books, grabbing one that looked had a good cover. In that split second moment I decided I was going to read ONE book that year.
We continued walking and found our way to a playground so while the kids played I opened the book and started reading.
I probably only read a page or two that day, but it was more than I had read in years. And I needed that.
(The book was The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner if you’re wondering)
After that book, and rediscovering the magic of reading, I gave myself a very Amy-type-goal the following year:
Read four books
I read ten.
Nineteen the year after that. And twenty-three the year after that (although by then I wasn’t keep track of the number and just adding them to my GoodReads as I went).
Now it’s just a part of life. My favorite pastime and what I will choose nine times out of ten over scrolling my phone.
And it all started with an in-the-moment decision five years ago that, if I want to really go deeper, was me choosing myself. Something I hadn’t done in a long time.
Sometimes when you need a shift in life it doesn’t have to be this huge thing with goals and overthinking. Sometimes it’s just a choice you make and it unlocks something bigger.
You’re allowed to follow that.
Some of my couldn't-put-down books since my (re)discovering of reading: