One second the world is flying by, and the next days crawl by as if in slow motion. Yesterday (over 16 years ago) Ashley and I got married. And yet it feels like an eternity until summer arrives and we can start a garden again.
There has been some crazy ups and downs over the years. And a TON of learning.
In our twenties it was learning how to raise kids. Early thirties saw the shift to cleaner living. The older we get the more we learn. Each day is an opportunity to learn something new.
While we don’t map our lives down to the finest detail, I do like to look at what I want to read for the next year. Regular reading is a part of my schedule. A way to wind down from the troubles of trials of each day.
Learning comes from a good book before I try it out myself. Maybe it’s how to better use social media. Or learning how to raise our next prospective type of animal. And it’s not just non-fictional reading.
A good fiction book can take you away to distant lands or times. Let your mind take you away to future where the world has fallen apart or dream of fairies.
This year as a family we are studying the German language. I learned the basics more years ago than I care to remember. And while I don’t see a trip to Germany in the cards anytime soon, it would be fun to learn and use those skills again. That learning starts with a few books.
I certainly don’t pick things up nearly as fast as I did when I was 18. My mind has lost some of its quick wit. But I feel like reading and learning helps to make me feel useful even when times are slow.
And let’s face it. We all need slow times to calm our lives and regain our focus. So, I encourage you to add reading to your daily schedule. The only thing you have to lose is track of time.
What are you going to read in the new year? Comment below and let us know. And while you are at it, here are a few great books you might try reading this year:
- For the business minded: Building a second brain by Tiago Forte
- For the prepper: As the light dies by David Saylor
- For the homesteader: The Sustainable Homestead by Angela Ferraro-Fanning
- For the natural minded: Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs
- For the youth: Where the garden begins by J. Suthern Hicks
Here’s to another year and a few more good books!