Comfort Reading

Well, if there's one thing to be said for 2020, it's that it's been a good year for reading. I was in a good routine before lock down, but since I began shielding I have read twenty-one novels, two poetry volumes, six Shakespeare plays (continuing with my schedule of two a month), and various literary adaptations and criticisms corresponding to the plays. It would be accurate to say that reading is one of the things that has sustained me during this difficult period in my life.

Having an hour or so to read between home schooling and entertaining the children, and making dinner, has kept me going through the day with all its demands, and given me something to look forward to, something that's just for me. Shielding has also meant I've had time to read both first thing in the morning and last thing at night, whereas when I'm working I get up in the early hours of the morning, and have to settle early at night to compensate for the sleep lost.

Very soon after lock down was announced, I was inspired to try and host an online book group meeting. I was invited to use the Facebook page of my local book group as a base for this, and the meetings have been hosted using Zoom. Besides the current members, I was joined at the first meeting by friends and family from Devon too. I found it rather daunting to be the host, but the meetings have been a success and we have held three so far. At the most recent meeting we were even joined by the author of the book, which was very exciting!

For me, reading has given me a source of escape. It has enabled me to travel to all sorts of places and situations in a period of my life where I am physically stuck in one place, and in doing so taken my mind off the various anxieties and stresses which have sometimes felt quite overwhelming. I don't know what the next few months hold or when I'll be able to return to work, and the children to school and nursery, but this reading time is definitely something to be thankful for given the circumstances.