A good book is a precious gift. Well written stories are a treasures.
I’ve loved to read as long as I can remember. I haven’t always enjoyed reading books actually worth reading, but I definitely inherited my mother’s love of doing so for ridiculous periods of time. I remember reading entire weekends when I lived by myself my first year out of college.
I was a high school teacher for the regional deaf program. I didn’t know a soul in that town, so my weekends were wide open. Well, as wide open as a first year teacher’s weekends can be. I remember getting novels on a Friday and reading just about non-stop until Sunday night.
Well… I repeated that scenario (minus the apartment by myself) a few nights ago with a gifted book. It’s one I’ve been eager to read: L’Abri.
It was handed to me Thursday at 2:15pm by a new friend. I finished it Friday night at midnight.
A few thoughts crossed my mind, when I came up for air (or to feed the crew or tuck them in or some other mandated activity).
Clues you are reading are good book:
You keep thinking that you are being rude to people who are waiting for you.
Honestly, as I engaged in required activities or answered a phone call, I kept having this feeling that someone was waiting for me. It would take me a bit to realize it was not actual people hanging out in my bedroom.
You have the sensation that you are actually watching something play out before your eyes.
I would tell HB, “I can’t wait to watch what happens next. I mean read. Read what happens next.” While I know we can mean that to refer to enjoying what happens next, I really did have a visual play by play in my mind. Do you do that?
You would rather read than eat.
This is pretty much self explanatory. Not much keeps me from eating, but I will go way past meal time if I’m devouring a good book. Then, I’ll just grab something that…
You choose to eat items that keep your hands (or at least one) free so you can hold the book.
If you look in the pantry or fridge for a snack and rule out items that will require hands, that’s a sure sign.
You would rather read the book than do just about anything else.
What a strange, yet wonderful feeling it is when one keeps waiting for a required activity to end, so she can get back to the book. It takes real maturity and self control to hide such feelings from others, wouldn’t you agree?
You rationalize (insert ridiculous number here) hours of sleep.
Sleep is actually a requirement for life. It’s true. When I am reading a good book, my body will cooperate for at least two nights. That’s about it. Good thing I’m a fast reader.
You dream about the characters or plot.
Continuing the story when you actually do have to sleep is a sure sign that the book is making an impact.
You are sad when it ends.
While I can’t stop reading, I also am very aware that a book will end. That usually makes me sad in some way. You’d think I’d slow down towards the end, but uh… no.
You are changed.
A truly good book will change you in some way. How you view a historical event. How you feel about a possible future event. How you act in your life. There are many ways a book can affect you permanently. If a book does, it’s a keeper. This is also a reason to make sure you are choosing good books.
I’m so grateful for the book gift. God is already using it to change me and I have lots of ideas I want to talk to Him about for future change and goals. What a great book!
