One of the goals my therapist and I have set, as a means of dealing with my chronic tendency to be mean to myself, is for me to schedule time to do things that I enjoy, that I've not been doing.
Pleasure reading is on the short list of such activities. So -- after over a year of not picking up a book just to read for the fun of it -- I am reading an espionage novel: Daniel Silva's Prince of Fire, featuring conflicted Israeli spy/master art restorer Gabriel Allon. Before my mother got sick, we both enjoyed Silva's thrillers; it was nice to once again lose myself for a little while in the suspense.
My other fun book is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Golf. I've just gotten through the first chapter, but it does seem geared to someone of my knowledge level, which is to say hardly any. Now at least I know a birdie from a bogey and a chip from a putt. One of these days I'll actually garner the courage to move from backyard whiffle-ball-smacking to an actual driving range with real golf balls.
2 comments:
Hey--if you want a laugh, read "Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff, Jesus' Childhood Pal." It's gut-bustingly hilarious, and the author (Christopher Moore) really did his research, historically speaking! It's not a parody; actually, it was even a bit iconic for me. :-)
I can relate to reading a good book as something that gets put off, but is for ME and telling this to the therapist. Good grief. He asked me what I had done for myself that week. Keep in mind that I was doing the usual homemaker, chafeur, cook, cleaning woman routine, etc. I said I read two books. He thought that was an odd thing to say that I had done for myself. Who else did I do it for? Sitting and reading a novel in a busy house full of family is the ultimate "do something nice for ME"
I liked the guy, but it made me wonder how easy he thought my life was otherwise.
If I ever go to a counselor again, I'll want to know how much housework he/she does, and how much time he/she put into parenting each week.
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