To Speed Read, or Not To Speed Read, Tis' be the Question!

Do you hop onto Facebook and go on a bookish page to see the posts and you see people posting about how they read 5 or more books PER DAY!?! Do you feel inferior? Or do you wonder "what do they do for a living!?!", or do you feel like you are not a dedicated reader because so many people say they read so many books per day, per week, or per month? I am here to tell you to not worry about what other people do and how many books they read. I know at times it feels intimidating at times, or even as if you are not motivated. Let's face it, some of us have other priorities and we live different lives.

I for one, may get into a groove and read a book in a week or couple days. I'll be honest, it is NOT the norm. I have four children, ages 12 down to age of 4. My oldest, he swims and will be starting weight training. My oldest daughter is a competitive gymnast, next daughter is a competitive cheerleader, and my youngest, well she is 4 and is just busy and needs her Momma. Most nights we get home after 9pm, so by the time they have something to eat, whine down, bathe, and get to bed we are looking at past 10pm. That is just our summer time schedule. School, we are little earlier by an hour. But once home from school, it is snack, schoolwork, then off to practice. Usually I am dropping one off, then running to drop another off, then back to pick up and so on. Reality is I may get an hour or so to read, if I even feel like it because some days I am just so beat that I can't. Work just wore me out (life of a single mom, and not by choice). So, it may take me a whole month to read 1 book and I am OK with this reality.

So, some might be saying, OK and that is YOUR choice to have a busy schedule for your kids. Absolutely it is! No complaints here, because they LOVE what they do, are active, taking care of their bodies, and most importantly are happy. To me, yes, that is my priority and it is my life, for now at least. No justification needed. I know this is just a season in my life and I'll have MANY years to come to read as many books as my little heart desires!

I write this for those other Mommas or Dads who wish they could just sit and read multiple books to fin, but are in the same season as I am. Don't feel inferior to others on Facebook or in Book Clubs. If you can do it, do it! If you can only manage 1 book in a month, or per year, then don't let others intimidate. You do YOU!

Lastly, I will give a huzzah to those who do read 5 or more books in A DAY! That is incredible. I mean, even 1 book a day is amazing. To lose yourself in books like that is so great. Should be recognized in a way of admiration, but definitely can be hard to make others not feel inferior while talking how many you read in a day as if "I don't know how you don't read this reach!?!", taking care in word usage can be all the difference. Yet, those of us who cannot read this much in a day or even a year, need to understand to not take it personally. They are just excited and pleased to be able to read as they do.

Reading is SO darn important in life. It allows us to learn, gain knowledge, build our vocabulary, expand out imaginations, and it gives us an escape. So whether you read a lot, or hardly any, as long as you do read something, keep going. Whether you read 1, or 5+, let us remember that the amount of books one reads, nor how quickly one can read a book is an indicator of how much of a book lover one might be. Yes, I am talking to you, the one who may not read much, you absolutely can be a book lover and a reading enthusiast! So, let's be prudent with our words as to be sure we are not belittling anyone for how many they read, or on the flip side, how much they do not. As long as they are reading, it does not matter. Let's encourage each other instead!

Until next time, my fellow book lovers! But, really. I do want to know how anyone can read multiple books from start to finish in one day, so if you know, please comment.