When I was a kid, I loved summer breaks. I went to the community library once a week, spending hours fawning over the aisles of books. I'd slowly scan the spine of each title, pausing whenever one caught my eye. If it passed my unspoken test, I'd add it to the stack in my hands. The books would pile up one by one until I'd have to strain to peer over the top, which was my signal to give in and head to the checkout.
There was something so exciting about getting sucked into a book. I'd look up after spending hours indulging in a story, feeling like no time had passed. As a kid, it was especially easy to bury my nose in the pages and forget about anything or anyone else. I felt a particular affinity toward fantasy novels; I loved getting lost in worlds entirely different from ours.
As I grew older, that interest started to dwindle. I stopped making time for reading; instead, I let other things take priority, enticed by the new experiences and people I met in college. I broke out of the bubble I created as a kid, distracted and thriving in all the stimulation that comes with college.
Then the pandemic hit. It cut us all off from our social lives, which meant I had plenty of time on my hands. In an unfamiliar world, I started searching for new outlets to manage my anxiety and fill my time. Naturally, it led me back to reading.
But with my cell phone always within reach, my attention span was cut short. After picking up and putting down several books, I eventually settled on one that had been sitting on my shelf for a while (Artemis by Andy Weir). Once I reached a particular spot in the book, I returned to the familiar feeling of being pulled in by the story. There's a sort of ease to it; you find yourself turning page after page without even realizing it. Finishing a book always brings a sense of accomplishment in knowing that you finished what you set out to do.
I have a newfound appreciation for the idea that there's more to books than just stories. Reading is a safe retreat for me now. It's an outlet for my anxiety, a source of inspiration for my creativity, and a community with friends that read and swap books with me. At the end of the day, I just love stories. I love characters. I love books. Books unlock an infinite number of worlds and experiences you've never had before, and there's something special about the privilege of having the time to get immersed in them.
If you've ever thought about picking up a book, do it. Spend 10 minutes a night picking up that book beside your bed. Get lost in each story, finding bits and pieces of yourself. I hope it can benefit you as much as it has for me.
