For me, I find that I am unable to read with enjoyment when I'm depressed. It's not that my mind is focused on anything else, it's just that the books I'm reading don't pull me in, and I very much want them to! This is happening to me right now. I would not say that, in general, I am very depressed right now. I've been there before, and this isn't that. But... I've switched from book to book to book. No love. And even streaming the series I really love isn't doing it for me, although it's still better than trying to read. So, I've taken to reading articles in the NY Times, trying to figure out Wordle. Maybe I'll FINALLY start walking and listening to all of the podcasts I haven't listened to since I started working from home! I'll let you know how it goes if you keep me in the loop, too! Love you so!
Music. Lean into music. With or without lyrics, music, like reading and writing, tells a story, yet requires nothing active from us. Not even our full attention. Music, even when it shifts into the background, has the ability to trigger the release of emotion, soothe, and bring healing. Maybe music can hold the space...bridge the gap...until you're reading and writing more again. xo
Me too, after my mother died. I couldn't concentrate enough. I think I eventually read short things in "spiritual" anthologies -- not quite poetry, not quite essays. But you are probably reading poetry, right? Maybe poetry, which speaks to the nonlinear parts of our brains, is where you are right now...
Verna, I haven’t read a book since Jan died. I can’t concentrate enough. It’s frustrating. I hope you can find the comfort in reading that you used to have 😘
There was a time I seemed to stay away from fiction. It was a time that seemed like a blessing & a curse. Blessing because I was given money to go ahead with a project I deemed important for the community. It turned out to show me that even if it is needed, people take it differently. This turned out to be a curse for me. The chaos it created within my body resulted in a complete break down which has taken over a decade to recover from. During the time of the busyness I was reading only non-fiction. I was busy 7 days a week. Once I collapsed in despair, I surrendered to the reality of it I decided I needed to balance the non-fiction with fiction. This started my recovery.
I recently attended a virtual retreat. I do this on a quarterly basis. The theme for this last one was pilgrimage. It came to me that I wanted to embark on a pilgrimage with books in a specific way. I wrote down 'A Year Long Pilgrimage Through Books' - spiritual books in particular. I will choose a book a month whereby I shall read and sit with. I have read lots of spiritual books in the past but I am taking a different posture this time. I will take more time contemplating what is in the books. Perhaps even write down questions. I just started one this month. I didn't intend to start yet but when I was at the library there was a book I knew about and never imagined seeing at my library (which is small) so I picked it up.
I found books on cultural fairy tales to be helpful. Perhaps because they are short tales I could read and then think about. I love the Chinese, Japanese, Russian tales and I have read the Finnish book (The Kalevala) but wouldn't recommend it now since it is a long tale but infinitely wonderful - probably for another time.
Oh, Verna, I am sorry for this -- my heart aches for your loss and sadness, and surely you will come back to reading when the time is right. I’m sending you love and more love.
For me, I find that I am unable to read with enjoyment when I'm depressed. It's not that my mind is focused on anything else, it's just that the books I'm reading don't pull me in, and I very much want them to! This is happening to me right now. I would not say that, in general, I am very depressed right now. I've been there before, and this isn't that. But... I've switched from book to book to book. No love. And even streaming the series I really love isn't doing it for me, although it's still better than trying to read. So, I've taken to reading articles in the NY Times, trying to figure out Wordle. Maybe I'll FINALLY start walking and listening to all of the podcasts I haven't listened to since I started working from home! I'll let you know how it goes if you keep me in the loop, too! Love you so!
Music. Lean into music. With or without lyrics, music, like reading and writing, tells a story, yet requires nothing active from us. Not even our full attention. Music, even when it shifts into the background, has the ability to trigger the release of emotion, soothe, and bring healing. Maybe music can hold the space...bridge the gap...until you're reading and writing more again. xo
Me too, after my mother died. I couldn't concentrate enough. I think I eventually read short things in "spiritual" anthologies -- not quite poetry, not quite essays. But you are probably reading poetry, right? Maybe poetry, which speaks to the nonlinear parts of our brains, is where you are right now...
Verna, I haven’t read a book since Jan died. I can’t concentrate enough. It’s frustrating. I hope you can find the comfort in reading that you used to have 😘
I am so sorry for your loss.
There was a time I seemed to stay away from fiction. It was a time that seemed like a blessing & a curse. Blessing because I was given money to go ahead with a project I deemed important for the community. It turned out to show me that even if it is needed, people take it differently. This turned out to be a curse for me. The chaos it created within my body resulted in a complete break down which has taken over a decade to recover from. During the time of the busyness I was reading only non-fiction. I was busy 7 days a week. Once I collapsed in despair, I surrendered to the reality of it I decided I needed to balance the non-fiction with fiction. This started my recovery.
I recently attended a virtual retreat. I do this on a quarterly basis. The theme for this last one was pilgrimage. It came to me that I wanted to embark on a pilgrimage with books in a specific way. I wrote down 'A Year Long Pilgrimage Through Books' - spiritual books in particular. I will choose a book a month whereby I shall read and sit with. I have read lots of spiritual books in the past but I am taking a different posture this time. I will take more time contemplating what is in the books. Perhaps even write down questions. I just started one this month. I didn't intend to start yet but when I was at the library there was a book I knew about and never imagined seeing at my library (which is small) so I picked it up.
I found books on cultural fairy tales to be helpful. Perhaps because they are short tales I could read and then think about. I love the Chinese, Japanese, Russian tales and I have read the Finnish book (The Kalevala) but wouldn't recommend it now since it is a long tale but infinitely wonderful - probably for another time.
Oh, Verna, I am sorry for this -- my heart aches for your loss and sadness, and surely you will come back to reading when the time is right. I’m sending you love and more love.
https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2022/08/gateway-reading-pandemic-books/671051/