The time to read is now, not hereafter. We must make time or miss our joy.
George Holbrook Jackson
1874-1948
I've been thinking about these words a lot lately. Years ago they used to be on my sidebar. Now I believe they need to be in my heart and in my actions. I love reading but I let other activities take up too much of my reading time; other activities that I love, or that are necessary and important. I must find a better balance between them and reading. I miss sitting down for an hour or more at a time completely absorbed in a story. Beginning today, I'm going to remedy that situation. I'm at a time in my life when I'm home. My children are grown. I don't have an outside job. I can pretty much determine my own schedule. I must 'make time' or I shall indeed miss my 'joy.'
"we must make time or miss our joy" - Amen to that! Isn't joy such a wonderful word? Doesn't say happy or ecstatic or bubbly - joy. There can be joy even when your life isn't necessarily happy all the time. Reading is a joyful activity for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you!
ReplyDeleteI have started to read Rural Free: A Farmwife's Almanac of Country Living. Trouble is, I can't just whiz through it (though I am a fast reader)! Rachel Peden's style is so picturesque; description. And every "entry" is full of detailed observations of nature. It's a job to read.
It's one of those books you want to stop and read from to anyone who will listen.
I love your take on the word 'joy,' Kay. Exactly right. I'm just about to sit down for an hour with a book. :<)
ReplyDeleteRebecca, oh my gosh, do you know that I'm reading this over a year's time?? If you scroll down to 'letter topics' and click 'a year with gladys and rachel' you can read my monthly reports. I'm so enjoying Rachel's words.
Wise words, and good to be reminded of them.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely and get up early especially to take time reading. My day would not be the same otherwise. With no time for reading I feel uneasy and fidgety.
ReplyDeleteHow true these words are - I'm the same, I have so many things that I'm interested in and enjoy doing and reading had got relegated to half an hour in bed - if I managed to stay awake that long:) I plan to spend more time reading during the day too, an hour isn't that long out of 24 after all.
ReplyDeleteI have never understood what on earth they are talking about when people say that they'd like to read, but just don't have the time. Perhaps a lover of reading will never be able to understand what seems to be such skewed priorities.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely quote and thoughtful words, Nan.
Good for you! I try. It seems as if we get so programmed to reading only after everything else is done. I love the quote and your goal!
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Nan. I love to read, but, haven't been taking the time to just be still and read. When I was working in an office and the kids were little, I would spend my lunch hour reading and I got a lot more reading done then. Finding an hour and keeping it is a good way to keep the joy. Thanks for the inspiration I needed right now.
ReplyDeleteI love it Nan, thanks for sharing it with us! The computer is such a time stealer for me. When we are away from home (and the computer) I get several books read a week. Must be strong!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely quotation and so true. My 'joy' time tends to be at the end of the afternoon when I always try to find an hour, sometimes two if I'm lucky, to sit with a book. I've also been trying to turn the TV off in the evenings when there's nothing in particular that we want to see. It's so easy to just sit and let something not so great wash over you when you could turn it off and read something great.
ReplyDeleteI am home all day (unless I am out of course) but my husband still trudges off to work. For the past several years I get my first reading time early in the morning. My husband gets his own breakfast and reads the paper and I get my coffee and sit down for that precious first hour. But I also read at lunchtime- which includes digesting time. Lot of little bits of reading time while I am waiting for some chore to finish. A lot of joy in my day.
ReplyDeleteYou've captured it perfectly. I find if I'm feeling irritable or something's just not been right with a day or week - well, it's time to sit down/curl up with a good book. Then all seems right and joyful with the world.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your newfound goal.
I'm also seeking a better balance in my life and more time for reading. Dave and I are adjusting to his retirement and even though we have always spent most of the time together, we've always had our alone time every day as well. I'm beginning to understand what people tell me about the newly retired.
ReplyDeleteToo, I spend too much time reading other blogs and commenting. :D
Cornflower, that's exactly it! I am reminding myself by jotting them down on the
ReplyDeleteblog.:<)
Me, too, Margaret. I feel like I'm missing something or someone.
Rowan, I sat down yesterday for an hour and it was wonderful. I felt better the whole rest of the day because of it.
Clair, it may be an excuse they give themselves. I doubt they really love reading that much. We do make time for what we want. I just haven't given enough of mine to books lately.
Sallie, that's it! I think I 'should' do certain things now, and I'll read later. But later comes and there's other stuff going on.
Penny, from what I've heard from people with outside jobs, it is easier to structure time if you have them. Those of us at home have so much free-flowing time that it is sometimes hard to put a structure on ourselves.
Peggy, me, too. I could quite happily spend all day reading blogs!
Cath, that evening time is tough for me. I do like a lot of movies/tv shows. I could be reading then, but instead I'm watching what I enjoy. Some are as good as a book to me!
Pat, I think little plans like that are what work. And do you know what I did with my hour of reading yesterday afternoon?? I read your book!!
Joanne, I feel just the same way.
Barbara, those blogs are irresistible aren't they?! You will get there with the whole retirement thing. I think it just takes time to find a new way of organizing life.
Oh Nan, I needed those words.
ReplyDeleteIn many ways they are mine.
I stay so busy
say I am going to read at the end
of the day "when I am finished with - is it really that important"
Then at the end of the day I am too weary to read...
Ernestine, I think many of us are plagued with the notion of work before play. I've decided that play is more important!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is exactly how I've been feeling! I'm actually doing much better about setting aside "reading time" in my afternoons or early evenings, as well as at bedtime. It feels so good to return to my beloved hobby!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I've borrowed Jackson's quote for my sidebar. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Les, they are truly great words to live by for we who love to read.
ReplyDelete