Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Wishcasting: To Read!




You know, I'm still trying to take that much needed break from productivity, so when today's Wishcasting asked What do you wish to accomplish? I have to confess, I am setting my sights low. I am feeling in a bit of a muddle about where it is I am heading and what it is I want to focus my energy upon. Frankly, I am having too much fun just dabbling, exploring, playing and soaking in sunshine.

Yes, Sunshine!

But what has been nagging at me is the pile of books sitting unread by my nightstand. I am close to the end of Women Who Run with the Wolves, have started the sequel to Chocolat and The Last Station just came in from the library and I have more books received as holiday gifts and ordered on sale from Amazon awaiting my affections.

I have always devoured books. One summer when I was a preteen I would walk every other day to the public library and check out an Agatha Christie murder mystery. I would spent that day and the next curled up with the book, a glass of super sugary lemon iced tea and read until my head spun. When the last page was read, I walked back to the library, returned the book and begin the cycle again.

Lately, it seems my reading habit has been stalled. I manage to cover a few pages before my eye lids drop but that is it. When I find myself with a chunk of time, I been busy crafting, cooking, cleaning or playing with Cowgirl. I realized today that I have been suffering under the delusion that time spent reading is unproductive time. I do not believe this, but I have been acting that way. Reading is a way of filling myself up; gathering new perspectives, new insights, and inspiration. Reading affords me the chance to live in a different world, ponder how my life might be in other circumstances and to try on new attitudes, fresh ideas. To take time out to read is to take time to water my emotional and intellectual gardens. It is a necessary balance to action for it allows me time to reflect and digest my thoughts and my feelings.

So I what I wish to accomplish is to read those all those books that have been calling out to me. They've been patiently waiting for my attention. I wish to visit their worlds and come back to mine refreshed and perhaps armed with some new attitudes, my viewpoint enhanced from exploring other experiences.

Now, if I only had a hammock ...


And no real reason for the Moose shot except perhaps as added inspiration to sit still ... I can hold a book in one hand and easily scratch some spaniel ears with the other ...

18 comments:

  1. As you wish for yourself, I wish for you also!

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  2. Mose is adorable. Reminds me of our dog in my youth: Freckles. I too love reading but am behind. Do you find that you go through spurts? Devouring one after another and then nothing? Sending you reading and hammock vibes! heavenly:)
    As Lis wishes for herself, so I lovingly do also.

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  3. I Love the photo!! And oh my, I was JUST thinking that yesterday. I know reading isn't a waste of time yet all too often I find my mind drifting off when I'm enjoying a book to all of the other things I COULD be doing. Piles of books and countless library trips later, my life isn't any richer for having done those other things. Yet completing one good book...and letting it become part of me...can (and has) changed my life.

    Funny...

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  4. oh...unfortunately i am a book lover...i say unfortunately because it causes something similar to insomnia...lol...i read til all hours of the morning, nut i must confess love every minute of it...oh...btw...i have a hammock that is constantly occupied by the kids...lol...enjoy your bbooks....xxx

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  5. I too LOVE to read. Just recently I realized that I was not reading as much as I used to and I miss it. As Lis wishes for herself, I wish for her also. Here is to many happy hours reading!

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  6. I'm with you! After I finish surfin' I'm taking a book and heading to a coffeeshop to read (if I stay home I think of all the things that I "should be" doing unfortunately). As Lis wishes for herself, so I wish for her as well.

    ...and what a cute dog!

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  7. I miss reading, but hopefully soon my eyes will be able to handle it again. As Lis wishes for herself, so I wish for her also.

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  8. As Lis wishes, so I wish for her also. I have been sitting reading this evening something I don't have time for very often and really enjoying the quiet and being drawn into the dramas of a set of characters, Reading is wonderful I wish you lots of time for it.

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  9. << live in a different world, ponder how my life might be in other circumstances and to try on new attitudes, fresh ideas.>> I love feeling this way! As Lis wishes for herself, I wish for her also.

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  10. I wish you lots of reading time, Lis. The Lollipop Shoes is great - hope you enjoy it. I'm almost-tagging you. If you want to play along, please come over to my blog to read about it and only join in if you want to. Otherwise, please just take it that I'm recommending others to visit your blog! Have a lovely day!
    Janice.

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  11. Have fun reading all those books! Let me know if you like them when you're done!

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  12. I feel for you!!!! Your words reflect my same anguish...books, I love them!!!

    So...be gentle with yourself (let's face it, Women Who Run with Wolves is an amazingly rich...and LOOOOOONG tome!)...Have a book going in each room...which one calls to you at what time? and chunk it out....really talking to myslef here:)

    As Lis wishes for herself, so I wish for her as well!

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  13. You gave such great reasons for reading! I am a bookworm too, and belong to two book clubs--I love talking about the books after I read them. As Lis wishes for herself, I wish for her also.

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  14. I go through phases with reading. Today I checked out 4 books at my local library. I love the feeling of pulling out my library card and walking out with stacks of books. May you find lots of time to relax and read!

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  15. The tote is really very basic and simple. If you follow the step-by-step, you'll be fine. If I think of anything I think will help, I'll post about it.

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  16. as lis wishes for herself, so i wish for her also.

    oh i hear you! i used to devour books too, and now i too can barely manage two pages before i have to pop the book down and go to sleep! there just doesn't ever seem to be enough time to sample and do all the wonderful creative and nourishing things there are out there! add to that my e-course compulsion, i am doomed :)

    ps. LOVE the picture of moose!

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  17. ~i too can ever so relate...i used to read non stop adn about once a year i go on a marathon reading of about a week...and then reality sets back in...life...so i try to give myself 10~15 mins a day...though it does not always happen...i do try...i will send my hammock to share! as Lis wishes for herself so I wish for her too...may you find minutes and moments throughout the day just for you and the written words that fill our souls with such goodness...well wishes and brightest blessings upon you always~

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  18. oh i sooooo want to cuddle the Moose!

    Women Who Run... is one of my dessert island books.

    Glad to hear i wasn't the only young nerd reading Agatha Christie. My mother had close to the entire collection, and it was some of the first adult books i devoured.

    I've learnt to read in small chunks, now with a toddler at home. I used to want swaths of time, but we adapt. ;)

    There is something about reading that is considered a mere distraction and a luxury, and it can be. But I do value it for much more than that. It can be such a solace and revitalising. For me, a good book can be the equivalent of a long hot bath.

    Monica

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