Whilst goals and ambitions are great, they are not everything. Too often goals and ambition suck out the enjoyment, pleasure and delight of things. Reading is no exception to this. I know that for me personally, I can get caught up in reading a certain number of books or making sure I tick off this title or that from my mile-long list, only to end up reading books that I didn't really love or reading just for the sake of reading. I believe that truly enjoying the reading life means that sometimes we may read less. Sometimes it may mean that we don't reach our goals or tick every title off our list.
Another roadblock in the reading life is that we get way too caught up in reading books that are "appropriate" for our season of life or age. I think this mistake is especially made with children's reading rhythms. I am of the belief that if you enjoy a book, no matter if it is a picture book, a middle-grade chapter book, a young adult fiction novel, or a one-thousand-page classic, if that's what interests you at the time, then you must read it. My mom has instilled that belief in my sister and me very strongly, ever since our homeschooling days. As someone who spent the elementary years of my school days in a public school, where everything had to be done according to society's ideals of normal, forcing children (or anyone, for that matter!) to read a book just because it's on their so-called reading level is one of the surest ways to discourage a person from finding delight in books and the reading life.
With that said, I also want to say that you must read what you want to. I don't believe in forcing books into anyone's hands...including my own. I, for example, do not enjoy Jane Austen. God bless the folks who do, but I simply am not one of them. Truth be told, I've never been able to get immersed into any classic enough to actually read the entire thing. I also find that most books that are all the rage and folks just can't seem to stop talking about are often books that I just do not like or enjoy. It's all personal preference. I, myself, enjoy contemporary writings, particularly stories that include sweet romance, small towns, home life, unconventional living, quirky characters, adventures and such. As I mentioned in my vlog last week, I also do not like books that feel like a burden. When I pick up a novel, I want to be taken away for a bit, transported to another place and perhaps time, and live, for a while, among those characters and be immersed into their worlds.
I believe reading is about inviting books to do their magic in our lives...bringing back some of the wonder we've lost along the way, reminding us of the beauty around us, pointing us towards a marvellous adventure, welcoming new characters into our lives, reawakening our imaginations and causing something wonderful to be stirred up in the depts of who we are, pushing us towards something good and beautiful and delightful. Reading should be a magical experience, for I believe that books are some of the most magic-filled things on earth. They are companions, teachers, mentors, and oh-so-much more.
As you are pondering your summertime reading goals, if that's something you do, I encourage you to also ponder these few thoughts. The reading life shouldn't be about numbers or goals or reading just for the sake of reading. It should be about bringing beauty, delight, and wonder into your life through being immersed in a good book.
And, that, my friend, I believe, is a splendid thing.