No Recreational Reading for a Week

M

y mother always used to tell us that when we were younger, she had to make sure her house was spotless before sitting down with a cup of tea and a book. Her best friend, though, was able to block out the detritus of a long day with little kids and dive into a stimulating read.

“And that’s why she turned out thoughtful and well-read, and I’m just… me,” she would finish. It was wise, went the implied postscript, that I put intellectual stimulation ahead of gleaming counters.

Fast-forward 15 years, and I’ve begun to see the merits of both approaches. I’ve been enriched and edified by years of reading, but my house sure could use a good deep clean.

It’s more than just housekeeping, though. Reading is a way to unwind, an escape, a distraction from the mundane that fills my days. Instagram and Twitter get all the flak, but really anything used excessively can impinge on relationships. When I read, I’m as withdrawn from my husband and kids as if I were on my phone.