My most recent “summer read” was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. A book that I highly recommend for multiple reasons.
Healthy Reading
One of the ways I evaluate how healthy I am is the amount of reading I do.
When I first got out of college and seminary the last thing I wanted to do was to pick up a book. I had been told what to read for the past nine years and I was very comfortable not reading much of anything.
A few years later I re-discovered my love of reading. I started tearing through all kinds of books. A few years later and I became more selective in my reading choices. My focus was on those books which could teach me something to help shape the person I was becoming. Where I once loved a good novel or drama I all but lost interest in those types of books.
Cancer Disrupted My Reading
When I was diagnosed with cancer I lost my ability to read. To be clear, I was still able to read, it just was not as fun or enjoyable as it once had been. What once took me a few hours to read was now taking days, if not weeks. I got out of the habit of reading and my “to read” pile slowly began to grow. I would still identify books I wanted to read, I simply lacked the energy or motivation to turn the pages. My “to read” pile grew to an amazing size.
Over the past six months, I have noticed a change. My ability to read, remember, and enjoy a good book has returned. It is a gift and a sign that I am moving in a much healthier way. [Read more…]
I had one of those experiences last week that is worth sharing. It all started when someone asked, “How are you feeling?”
