by Kathie
Bear with me for a moment while I talk to you about stagnant water.
The definition of stagnant water is water that is not flowing; it’s motionless and has been left sitting for long periods. It can be a problem for several reasons, including becoming a breeding ground for waterborne diseases. Getting rid of stagnant water involves cleaning filters, flushing lines, and aeration, which gets the water moving again. By circulating air through it, trapped gases are released, and balance is restored.
My TBR pile had become stagnant.
There were books that I purchased several months ago but never read. There were titles I bought because of the buzz, even though they didn’t really sound like something I’d enjoy. And I had ARCs that I hadn’t read that made me feel guilty whenever I looked at them.
It needed some air.
I haven’t made many goals for 2023, but rejuvenating my reading life is one of them. When I did my year-end recap, I realized I’d let it fester and breed dis-ease (see what I did there?) with obligations and “shoulds” that led to feeling overwhelmed and burned out. I had to make some changes to create a reading life that provided me with escape, learning, enjoyment, and replenishment, which are my four intentions for this year.
I decided to let go.
This is my physical TBR pile. Yes, it’s only one book that I purchased a couple of weeks ago.
I’ve spent the past few weeks reading the books I wanted to read, and then I donated the ones that no longer interested me or that I had access to through the library to a teacher for her classroom library. I created movement again by removing what was heavy and weighing me down, allowing room for my reading life to flow and become something new.
It feels amazing.
I know some of you are cringing right now. It was an extreme move that many book lovers wouldn’t make because they love to be surrounded by options and new stories to read at their fingertips. But I wanted to make a significant change: hit the restart button and allow books to flow in and out of my life again. Since I no longer work in a library, I want to reduce the number of physical books I purchase this year (sorry, McNally Robinson) and read what grabs me right at this moment. I plan to read more library ebooks with a new Kobo and better digital access. I don’t plan to give up reading ARCs and eARCs entirely, but I want to read them immediately instead of letting the backlog pile up.
It sounds good on paper.
It feels different this time to say I’m now reading for pleasure.
I’m excited to restore balance and see where things flow.
Bit About Books 