by RE Russell

I used to believe that to give a book its proper attention, I needed to devote hours at a time and try to finish it within a couple of days.  It was like a “beat the clock” race to get to the end. I often would shy away from books for that reason. I did not have the time or energy to devote to the endeavor. In addition, reading did not always come easy to me, so between the ‘must have uninterrupted time’ and my reading struggle, I used these as excuses to not do it.

I don’t like starting things I don’t finish so even if I got a book I did not enjoy, I would try to complete the task.

Not sure if my reading style is common to ladies but I’ve found it very common among men over 30.

As I’ve aged, I’ve found that “beat the clock” mentality to be damaging and discouraging. It tended to feed my excuses, especially with my reading challenges early in life. I discovered that savoring a good book for many days, some even for a few weeks, I enjoy them and the wonderful stories they share.

I found that I needed to give myself permission to no longer read as an assignment. A book doesn’t need to be conquered as quickly as possible. Instead, it should be enjoyed and used to glean the message the author is trying to convey. If I did not like the story or the characters after a time, I was not bound to read it any longer. I gave the author a chance to engage me but if our minds did not meet, we could both walk away.

I can still stray back to the ‘don’t put it down’ approach if the novel is a real page-turner. I just recently completed Nobody by Creston Mapes and finished it in a few days.

But I’ve also found the joy of reading a chapter or two a day of very thought-provoking work, like Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster or a modernized version of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis.

It is freeing to read in this way, and I regret that I’ve missed some wonderful works by trying to approach them the old way. Give yourself permission to delve in and enjoy.

Am I a unique reader to be troubled in this way or does this approach speak to you or readers you know?

RE Russell, Next Generation Indie Book Award winner for Best Religious Fiction, Carlisle Divided, is a successful CPA and Chief Financial Officer. Through his work, he learned to appreciate the value of story to inform and make complex issues understandable. He is a lifelong Christian, with the gift of teaching the Word to adults and children for decades. Love One Another is the second book in his Justus and Mercy series. He resides in Charlotte with his wife, Janie.