TIME TO READ

 

©CherieElainePhotography2023

I haven't felt like reading. 

When life gets terribly chaotic and my head gets too full, usually one of my favorite places to visit is the town of Mitford, Jan Karon's fictional place of quiet refuge for my soul. Here is where I feel led to green pastures to lay down beside still waters and restore my soul. 

But I haven't felt like reading.  There's not.....room. Words from people I know are swarming around in my head, buzzing like bees and nothing stops the noise but sleep, music, and TV. More noise, I know, but at least it isn't mine. And really, sleep doesn't come so easily either. 

Much to my delight and surprise, when browsing for something to watch, I saw At Home in Mitford. What? And staring Andi McDowell? Yes please! This was a welcome no brainer to take me away. 

NOT. After reading the book maybe.....lets guess seven times, I had developed an idea of what the characters looked like. I knew the town, and the hedge, and Father Tim and Cynthia and Dooley. Even the dog, Barnabas and the cat, Violet. For the days I would be engrossed in the book, I lived there. They were more than just characters. They were friends. 

Yes, I may be reacting in an over-dramatic fashion, but sometimes you just know what it's suppose to look like, right?

I understand that a movie has an hour and a half to two hours to develop into a story that takes a few days or so to read. But ages? Hair color? A dog who desperately needs a bath, and obeys when reciting scripture to him? 

I expected too much. If you haven't read the books and you like those silly Hallmark movies (yes, for the most part, I do) then it was fine. But the problem is, I love the books. Not a little bit. I mean, I LOVE the books!

The Mitford series pulled me out of a very dark space on many occasions. And the cookbook? Oh my goodness, best food ever, and little excerpts from the books that read just long enough to wait for a bake to finish. 

I didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling from the movie. But I did have to stop and think about how I'm spending my time. 

I'm not writing enough. And that's because I'm not reading enough. And I'm not reading enough because I'm so absorbed in what's happening around me that I decided not to think and that means mindless wandering through movie and television channels. 

I find it sad that people don't read much anymore--not much in depth anyway. They read headlines and tweets and scroll and learn about what's happening from one liners. Can I get a witness? Yeah, me too. I scroll. I watch. I'm letting my mind turn to mush.

I have an entire shelf  of books in my bookcase of books I haven't read. I want to pick up a Mitford book. Or The Secret Garden or Christy or Little Women, favorites from when I was a kid. I don't have the energy for something new. But maybe an old favorite would wake up my under-exercised brain!

My brain is being called to awaken. Spring is coming (hey, it didn't snow in Lander, WY today--this is a good day!) and birds are singing. Maybe is good book is just what this girl needs. 

Happy Reading. Love you!