To Read is to Fly

"To read is to fly; it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries."

Alberto Manguel

Week 44

My goal of reading a historical novel based on US history has been a great small step for me this year.  I have enjoyed so many books that I would have normally passed up on.   I’ll continue to do this after my experiment is over, and perhaps later I’ll broaden my focus to other terrains of history. 

At our library at the college when I go to check out books, there is a shelf nearby that has ‘used books’ that the library is getting rid of.  You can purchase ‘hard back’ books are 25 cents and ‘paper back’ for 10 cents.  I was glancing at the options while returning some library resources and saw something that drew my attention.  The book’s title was ‘Train Your Mind Change Your Brain by Sharon Begley. My first thought was that it wasn’t a historical novel, but I reminded myself that my goal was that every other book I read would be in that genre.  Although I didn’t have a clear idea about exactly what the book was about but I was in a hurry and for .10 how could I lose. 

I quickly tucked it into a school bag and forgot about it until last week while I was getting ready for a weekend  road trip and was looking for a couple of books to take with me.  Suddenly I remembered the bargain I picked up at the library, so I tossed it in my travel bag.

 I was quickly reminded how interesting non-fictional books can be, how informative they often are and how it’s one of the top ways to expand your mind.  I realized that although I’d given myself plenty of space to read a variety of books with my small step, I had been ignoring that opportunity for the entire year, in order to just focus on the one area.  

I am now reading the final chapters of my book (no doubt I’ll be writing a blog on it at a later date) and I’m anxious to find my way to other non-fiction books, dealing with this particular subject of the power of our mind and our thoughts.  I realized it’s a nice compliment to my goal of having a purposeful, intentional year of living. 

Small step:  Expand my point of vantage by viewing wide terrains of ideas in the form of non-fictional reading

Feel free to include your comments on the blog or email me on my website at smallsteps4bigresults@yahoo.com

Seeking An Adventure

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”   

               Jawaharlal Nehru (Indian Prime Minister 1889-1964)

Week 43

I mentioned last week that my calendar is quickly filling up for this summer, and much of what I’ll be up to, will take me out of my regular routine.  I must say that I am really enjoying my regular routine.  I get up early and write in my journal, include my blessings, make a list for the day, do my daily devotional, read the Bible and then go for my long walk.  It allows me to get in a number of my small steps and it seems a perfect way to begin my day.  I’ve grown quite attached to my routine.  In fact when I made the decision to have one of my small steps be to get out of my comfort zone, I found it to be a real challenge.

So I’m left with the conundrum of how to get in my small steps each day this summer, while also being open to an adventure that might take me on another path.  Last week I referred to a book I’m reading called the “Artist’s way’.  One of the exercises Julia Cameron requires for her readers to commit to is a weekly artist’s date.   She describes the artist’s date as follows” An artist date is a block of time; perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist.  In its most primary form, the artist date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend against all interlopers.”  In other words she says we need to go on this date solo.

I’ve given some thought to adopting this opportunity to ‘nurture my creative spirit’ but I’m feeling that with my busy summer schedule, I will be up against a roadblock because I won’t want to leave my current adventure with my children, grandchildren, sisters and/or husband.  So instead, I’ve decided that whenever possible I will seek out the wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure and invite them to come along.  When I’m on my own for the week, I’ll then set aside time to venture out on the artist’s date alone.

I don’t have a clear idea about what I will find when I seek an adventure with my eyes wide open, but I expect that it will enrich my days and stir my creative juices.

Small step: Go on an artist’s date (solo), or group adventure date, each week