In books I have traveled, not only to other worlds, but into my own.—Anna Quindlen
Books. I look around my tiny home and am surrounded by bound printed pages. Stacks of them. Everywhere. Three on my desk. Three on my nightstand. On the mantle. On the armoire. On the cabinet. And stuffed within the built-ins.
Some were gifts. Many were purchased because I believed they held a nugget I sought at the time—writing advice, simple DIY projects, mindfulness tools, a peek into the minds of women I admire (Anais Nin, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Georgia O’Keefe), and socially-conscious business practices.
Many remain unread. Especially the three 25-book stacks by the side of my bed. I keep that sacred pile there so that they aren’t tucked away on a shelf, but are in my face reminding me to read them. Instead, I stack more on top. That mind trick I played on myself hasn’t been successful. Yet.
Tim’s mom recently informed me about Bookbub. They send daily emails with .99 – $2.99 Kindle books on sale in the genre of your choosing. Each day when I open the email, I say a little prayer that there won’t be a book on there I “need.” A few times a week, my prayers aren’t answered and now my Kindle collection is growing.
I’d love this to be a post about how I figured out how to stop collecting books using an easy five-step system.
Unfortunately, it’s more of a confession.
Each book holds a promise. A chance to figure life out, be happier, make the perfect handmade gift, eat more plants, write better, create more, make healthier decisions, do yoga a certain way, have stronger connections, save the animals.
And, I want all of it.
Although I haven’t purchased a book in 48 hours (she writes with a sense of pride), I know there will be more.
Since childhood books have been my trusted companions. My confidants. My opportunity to get lost. My chance to learn more about myself and others. My time to dream.
Books hold a promise of deeper connection. To our inner world and the world we inhabit. What better gift could there be? Bisous. x
P.S. Here’s a fun piece on 11 Bookish Things Every Bibliophile Should Do at Least Once.
