Confession: I’ve never kept a New Year’s resolution (except this one).
A quick glance at my bookshelves will attest to the fact that I believe in the power of words. So, when New Year’s 2016 rolled around and a friend recommended the Challie’s Reading Challenge, I was tempted to say yes.
But let’s face it; I’ve never kept a New Year’s resolution. The proof is in the trail of unprepared Keto recipes, wasted gym memberships, and unpublished pages of writing.
But I know the magic of stories. I know that stories bring us together in living rooms, on walking paths, around the dinner table, and even in the car. Listening to audiobooks with my kids while driving around town has sparked countless intellectually stimulating and bonding conversations as a family. Every request to “Google more about that” has filled our brains with interesting information that’s come in handy for many an essay assignment and random conversation starters.
I also know the healing power of stories. They quite literally saved me during seasons of raising kids (Running the Rapids by Kevin Leman), walking through loss (A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis), discovering my voice (Uncaged Wallflower by Jennae Cecelia), and finding hope for the future (Saturday Night Widows by Becky Aikman).
I went for it. The very first book I read in 2016 was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows which was discovered after a search for a book about the Second World War.
I. WAS. HOOKED.
Soon I had a book next to the bed. A book in the living room. A book in my backpack. An audiobook playing in the car. Reading quickly became not just a resolution I had to keep, but an adventure I was all too eager to embark on. My growing pile of “to-reads” was seen not as a daunting task, but a promise of shared experiences, strength, and hope awaiting me.
So yes, I kept my “resolution” in 2016. And 2017. And 2018. And 2019.
It’s not just a checklist to me. In fact, some years I’ve completed the list, others I haven’t; but each year I willingly choose to embrace the journey over the destination. Some books I’ve loved, others I haven’t, but each one has helped me get out of my head. There’s something about seeing the world from different angles—even ones you don’t understand or agree with—that helps show complicated issues with a bit more perspective.
That’s another thing I love about a good reading challenge. It stretches you out of your comfort zone. If left to my own choices, I’d read memoirs All. The. Day. Long (Educated by Tara Westover).
Having a list with topics ranging from …
A book about science: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, to
A book about mental health: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, to
A book a friend recommends: Becoming by Michelle Obama, to
A humorous book: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
…has introduced me to people and perspectives that I never would have known otherwise and I am all the better for it.
Interested in joining me for a reading challenge in 2020?
4 Great 2020 Reading Challenges:
- Challie’s Reading Challenge
- Women Authors Reading Challenge
- Classics Reading Challenge
- Global Reading Challenge
Pick the one that piques your interest and be sure to share your favorites! And if you’re hosting a book club, let me know! I’d love to join you.
