Reading has always been a big part of my life, but when my twins were born it definitely fell to the wayside.
Now that the boys are a bit older, I have tried to start reading again. But because I have so little time, I often feel overwhelmed by choice, especially using a Kindle. How do I choose the ‘right’ book? It can be almost paralyzing to decide, so I often don’t land up choosing anything at all!
Lately, I have pushed myself to just choose something, and have really enjoyed a few gems. I think we often feel pressured to read classics, or serious books, and then we don’t read at all. Rather, just read what makes you happy! And just choose something, even if you’re unsure about it.
We are so lucky to have the incredible Jacob Gitlin Library as a resource for all in the community, as well as great public libraries in our neighborhoods. Kindles are an investment but the reduced price books they offer are hard to beat. So there really is no excuse not to read, with so many options at our fingertips!
In the new year, I challenge myself and you to read a new book once a month. My favourite Israeli writer, Amos Oz, says that he writes to truly understand ‘the other’, and I think it is the same with reading. It takes us to another place and into the world of another person, and it often reflects back to us what we have been searching for. Or in the words of Franz Kafka: ‘A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us’.