Finding the Time

"I haven't read a book for fun since reading Harry Potter when I was a freshman in high school."

A co-worker said that a few years back and my jaw hit the floor. On a practical level, I get it. I mean, people are busy, we carry TVs in our pockets, there are a million ways to distract yourself and spend your time. But, on a gut level... wow. I can't imagine my life without books. The older I get, though, and the more competing responsibilities that pile on my plate, I have to strategically carve out the time to make it happen. And, that's what it is. It's the planning.

 

Let's back up about 30 years. I've always been a reader. I learned very young, taught by a bossy sister who wanted to play teacher when she came home from school. I also grew up in a house full of books. My mom always has a book to read and, until we bought her a Kindle a few years back, she always bought brand-new books in hardcover (thanks, ma, for that expensive and house-cluttering habit.) Because of those factors, I was a kid who always loved to read. I remember books going back to Sweet Valley Twins (YES), Judy Blume, and one of my all-time favorites The Chocolate Touch. I started reading Stephen King in about 4th grade (thanks again, Mom!) and I cheated to get the better endings on Choose Your Own Adventure Books (if you say you didn't, congratulations. You're either a candidate for sainthood or a dirty liar.) When I got to college, I ended up one class short of a double major in English just because I liked taking classes where we read and talked about books. I never imagined it would be hard to find time to read.

Fast-forward to now. I'm in my 30's, I have two kids, a husband and a full-time job managing a newsroom. My job is demanding, my kids are young and our lifestyle is busy. While I would love to say I spend my leisure hours sipping coffee and devouring books at a hipster coffee house, it's just not the reality. I'm also extremely busy with three of my favorite evening pastimes: taking baths, watching Netflix and painting my nails. All that said, reading continues to be a huge part of my life. And, now, it's as much for my sanity as my entertainment.

In the time I am able to sit down and read, I shut everything off. It's the only time in my day I'm not tethered to a screen. It's the only time in my day where it's perfectly silent (whenever possible in a house with five and eight year old boys.) When I'm reading, I'm not switching between apps, listening for a notification or making decisions for anyone else. It's a huge cliche and makes me feel gross inside to say it, but it's me time. When I read before bed, I sleep better. When I read while blow-drying my hair in the morning, I am less likely to rush through the task. When I read on vacation, there's no more complete form of relaxation. To me, the only thing better than cracking open the spine of a new book is closing it again after the last chapter.

My life moves too fast most of the time. It's noisy and messy and I'm entirely dependent on things like email and tweets and Instagram comments. Reading forces the slow down. Since I've been doing this "book a week" project, I'm getting back to some of those basics. The only TV I've watched is while running on the treadmill at the gym (now that I'm done with this week's book, though, I'm gonna hit that new This is Us episode like it's my job.) Last week, I was waiting for a ride at the mechanic and, instead of grabbing my phone and scrolling, I opened my book. My heart rate slowed. I could feel myself more relaxed. It proved to me that revisiting the simple joys of reading that date back to the days of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield is not only good for my brain, it's also good for my soul.

If you love to do something, you'll make time. You'll get up earlier. You'll stay up later. You'll leave the phone on the charger in the other room or set the DVR and catch up later. If you love it, you'll find a way.