Never in the history of humanity has there been access to the volume of volumes available to you today. Not only are there more libraries with physical books, digital books are multiplying across the internet like rabbits.
I rely almost completely on Goodreads to choose a book. If you are unfamiliar, Goodreads is a social media platform to help you and a good book find one another. Adding friends to your profile allows you to see the book your friend is reading, as well as how much your friend did or didn’t like it.
Once a good book and I have found one another, I rely mostly on the Libby app to read it. I do love visiting my local library, however, I also love reading on my Kindle paperwhite.
With all the books and such easy access, why is it so hard to choose a book? Is it because I overindulged in WWII history and can’t swallow another page? Or because I’m in my 40’s and so over hearing women in their 20’s offer life advice? Or because religious books are too preachy? Or nonfiction books too dismal? Or dystopian books too real?
And so, I go back to Three Pines to savor the last few books of Louise Penny’s masterpiece. Whatever will I do when I catch up to the latest book in her series? Let’s talk about something else.
Three Pines aside, why is it so hard to choose a book? Are all the stories running together in the pages and pages available to me? Am I simply in a reading rut, or is it like life, in which there are moments of comfortable monotony? Is the story of my own life enough for now, without stirring more stories into the mix?
Perhaps later today the book I need to read will appear. Books have a way of doing that – choosing you. Ready or not, you will stumble upon the wardrobe where a world awaits you, grace upon grace. You may discover the story you are living is more remarkable and adventurous than you had once thought. You may get caught up in the greater story of God’s labor and love and your place in it.
Photo by Laura Kapfer on Unsplash
Lisa Lewton 