When the world stops, what do you do? Go to your bookcase and grab all of the books that have been setting there waiting to be read but you didn't have any time for, that's what!
Reading has always been a love of mine, however, when I passed my PGCE and became a History teacher, I got out of the way of reading for pleasure. Unless it was a textbook, educational book or History related, I felt guilty reading anything else. My poor bookshelf became neglected, I kept a book at the side of my bed, full of good intentions to read it, but it never happened. Until recently. With everything slowing down, I have found my love for reading. I can now take the time, to really immerse myself in the fictional world created by the author.
Reading is the best escape. For those few minutes, or hours or days, your reality becomes infused with a fictional reality. We get lost in someone else's life and honestly it is the best thing. You know that feeling, where you have to keep reading, you've been reading for hours, it's the middle of the night, but you cannot put the book down, that feeing is amazing! I had not got that feeling for such a long time until I read Sally Rooney's Normal People ( needs a whole post dedicated to it!) but it reminded me that reading is something I love and need to give more time too.
Over the past few weeks I have been reading lots more, taking to instagram for inspiration ( those instagram book pages! wow!) I have been working off recommendations and aiming to support more local authors. It really has been the best thing. It's soothing, relaxing and helps to calm my mind. So if you are like me and your mind goes 90 miles an hour, try picking up a book, sit for 5/10 minutes and you'll soon see the benefits!
I'll be back soon with some reviews! (currently reading the Flat Share by Beth O'Leary, it's great).
Stay safe.
A
xx