Joy Challenge #5

Joy Challenge #5: Borrow a fun book from the library!

I love reading. I’ve always used books as a source of comfort – characters who were always there for me, locations that helped me escape reality, stories far grander than the one I’ve been given. I learned how to spell and read sitting on my grandfather’s lap doing word searches while Sesame Street played in the background, and I don’t know that I’ve gone long without reading ever since.

Lately, though, the books that sit in a pile by my desk are all non-fiction. They’re great, and written by wonderful authors with fantastic stories and incredible concepts – but I can’t bring myself to read them. Maybe it’s because I have “every-blogger’s-dream” of writing a book one day, and each new book that comes across my mailbox is a reminder that I haven’t done it yet. Probably I see them, subconsciously, as a reminder of failure and rejection – especially if the topic is close to something I’d proposed or wanted to share. Books, like social media, can be a source of encouragement for me – or where I most carefully need to guard my heart against jealousy.

But, if you’re like me, you can’t help wanting to pick up a good book. Although I do have plenty of electronic devices, I can’t help loving the feel of an actual book in my hands. I like to be able to flip the pages, see how far along I am, have a cup of tea and read until my hands fall asleep from holding a book for too long. So I’ve rediscovered a love for fiction. Fun books full of stories I could never imagine, written by authors I’ll never know in real life. And I love it that way! Finding a new fiction series is like binge watching a new show on Netflix – the characters! The plot! The cliff-hangers!

Reading has, once again, become a source of inspiration and not envy – just how it should be. Why not visit your local library and find a new book? Discover a new author, read something frivolous and fun and forget about Amazon reviews and Goodreads recommendations and best seller status. Read a book. For fun.

Questions:

• What is your favorite book you’ve read lately?
• How can doing something just for fun help you eliminate envy from your heart?
• Have you heard of the “What Should I Read Next” podcast? It’s great if you need book ideas!