Rain!
A Perfect Time to Snuggle Up with a Good Book!
I do enjoy sitting on a beach in the blazing sun, my feet grounded in the hot sand reading a good novel while the rhythmic soothing surf lulls me into a deep state of relaxation BUT I equally enjoy snuggling up under a cozy blanket, wind, and rain pelting the windows, while I nurse a cup of tea listening to slow jazz in the background turning the pages of a riveting novel.
This morning I woke at 4:50 a.m. fully rested having gone to bed at 9 and fallen asleep at 10. It sounds like there is running water out our door on the balcony. No, the rain hasn’t stopped. In the summer it would have been approaching dawn, but now, mid-fall, I shuffle into our pitch-black living room, my book, The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams in hand. The 68-degree chill that soothed my overheating body while in bed, is now nipping at my legs. The tip of my nose is damp and icy. I want to read in the comfort of the dark, listening to the wind quietly howl around our front door (more weather stripping is needed), but I break the spell and turn on the bright lights to be able to finish this compelling read.
Wrapped up in a blanket I snuggle into the corner of the sofa with a desire to quell the many emotions that this book has triggered and with great anticipation in hopes the mystery of the reading list author is solved. I delve in, savouring the cliché family scenes, pondering the wisdom, and thinking about my dear friend Karen who used to be a library director and passionate lover of books. I can’t help but think that she would LOVE this book and agree with the byline on the cover, “Some books change your life forever”. Tears slide down my aging cheeks, as I close the book with a bittersweet sigh. I look at my phone and a text comes through from Karen. A psychic moment?
Karen has sent a classic stunning autumn photo taken at their cottage followed by a heartfelt text that her father-in-law passed away. The synchronicity of the moment is uncanny. We’ve grown up together from our early thirties to our now mid-sixties, both of us losing parents within the past five years. Sadness and memories propel a huge sigh, noting that my phone needs to be recharged, I decide I’ll call shortly but first send an immediate text extending sympathies. My test remembers Don as a wise soul. I suggest this might be the perfect time to read The Reading List with Keith and to do it as Meghan Cox Gurdon would suggest out loud.
The Reading List is a brilliant book that resonates, bubbling up personal experiences and triggering inspiration. Our perceptions of classic fiction and libraries are challenged with wise insights. This is a fabulous book that has the power to heal and initiate change.
Bless this rainy morning! A perfect time to snuggle up and read.
Hmm maybe a trip to the library is in order….
