I know you have heard this before, but it never hurts to be reminded: Reading is Powerful. And books are magic. We live in a noisy world that is getting louder all the time. Sometimes I feel like books are the only safe place I have.
Even if you already know the magic and the power of reading, I want you to take some time to be mindful– you know– really sit with how books have touched your life. You may have a beautiful memory of being read to as a child, or of being introduced to books like Oprah often shares about one of her favorite teachers and her grandmother. Maybe you were going through a bad time in your life and books literally saved you or maybe a book was the first time in your life that you were able to piece together that you were not such an oddball after all. Yes, there are other people in the world who are just like you.
Reading has meant so much to me in my life that I founded a whole book festival to highlight all the things that books, and the people who write them… and the people who read them… mean to me.
I cannot urge you enough to intentionally slow down from the chaos of this crazy fast-paced world and fall in love with a book. If you have never fallen in love with a book I promise you there are a few books out there with your name on them. You just have not found them yet. But you can and I hope you do.
I hope you will use books as a special way to bond with others in your life. Do you have a grandchild that lives across the country? Send them a book you have read. Ask them to read it. Then set up a date for a Saturday afternoon where you both make tea, have special cookies, and just talk about all the things you loved about the book (or maybe even the parts that drove you both crazy). Are you looking for ways to get out and do something different? Maybe even meet new people? My local indy bookstore right here in town holds a monthly Banned Books book club! It really is a blast because the people who come to these things are funny, witty, and best of all welcoming.
Look for something local in your area to get into. But best of all, just put down the phone, turn off the TV, stop arguing with that person who wants to argue the same things, and pick up a book that speaks to you. Do it for you because you will learn so much about the thoughts in your head. Some thoughts you may not have known existed. I think that my brain actually gets smaller when I watch TV, but when I read a book my mind grows. The whole world opens u to me in a way I could not see before. In a way, I could have never imagined.
And it will for you too. You owe this time to yourself to slow down and find some peace in this hectic world. We do not have to be robots on autopilot. We do not have to waste hours of our time mindlessly scrolling on a phone. You can find your peace, grow your brain, and get your life back through the power of reading. This is my wish for you. Let me know how it goes.
Love, Deedee Cummings
Founder of Make A Way Media