And so this week’s moment of happiness despite the news.
A miracle happened. Just yesterday!
Wednesdays are typically my busiest day of the week. I have three clients in the morning, from 9:00 to noon, followed by setting up the classroom for a class that meets from 1:00 to 3:00, then typically a chiropractor appointment at 3:30, back home in time for clients at 4:30, 6:00, and 7:00. The rest of the evening is spent reading manuscripts for the next day. Often, by the time I’m done setting up the classroom, which involves making the coffee, setting out the snacks, and setting up the laptop for those who are Zooming in, I have a half an hour left to make my lunch and eat it. This usually includes checking my email on my phone, just in case there’s a fire to be put out, and then, with whatever time I have left to chew and swallow, I read whatever book I’m currently reading for fun.
But yesterday, the miracle started to unfold when my 11:00 client was finished early. I set up the classroom, only making one pot of coffee, because I knew those students that were attending that day would not drink decaf. I got back upstairs to make my lunch at just after noon. I sat down to eat, discovered I didn’t have any new emails, and so I opened my book and read.
When I finished my last bite, I closed my book and glanced at the time, prepared to leap off the barstool and rush through putting my dishes in the dishwasher, refilling my water, yelling goodbye to the cats, and hustling downstairs.
But…it was only 12:30. 12:30!
I had an entire half hour…thirty minutes…1800 seconds…
…to simply READ. For FUN.
In the middle of the day. In the middle of the week. At a time that was not a day off or a vacation.
I grabbed my book and reopened it.
And then I noticed I was still sitting at the island, even though I was no longer having lunch. My eyes slid to the left and I saw my recliner. No cat was upon it. Then my eyes slid to the right and I saw my gas fireplace.
In seconds, I had the fireplace on. I was in my recliner, footrest up, blanket draped over me, a fresh cup of hot coffee within easy reach, along with four orange Oreos, and my book, my glorious, glorious book, open in front of me.
The cats looked shocked.
This. Never. Happens.
It was particularly delicious because this novel, which I’d been waiting for and waiting for, showed up at my doorstep the day before. I was already having an absolute ball with this book. That may sound odd, having a ball with a book, as opposed to having a ball with company or at an event. But books for me are just…Oh, heaven. Some books are a joy to read. Others are work, but worthwhile, rewarding work, to read. And some are a joy and work.
And others…I just put down. I used to insist on reading every book to the end, even if I wasn’t having a good time with it at all, because, obviously, I love and respect writers. I honor them. And I honor their work. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that life is too short to read a book that you’re not totally committed to. To read a book that is not totally committed to you, the reader.
This is one of those books that I am not only committed to, I am besotted. I would read this book straight through, if only I had the time.
But for now, on that day, a day that I typically don’t even have time to breathe before I’m off to the next thing on my to-do list, I had 30 glorious, unexpected, unplanned for, minutes.
I could have wept, except I didn’t want to waste any of the minutes by not being able to read through the tears.
And so, I read, in the middle of my Wednesday. I read, I sipped, I munched, and I smiled.
The smile continued for the rest of the day, long after I set the book down to go downstairs and teach.
(I read some more, in bed, before I went to sleep.)
Sometimes, that’s all it takes.
And yes, that helps. Despite. Anyway.
(By the way, if you love books like I do, the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books is coming up on November 7 and 8! I will be there both days, moderating, presenting, talking, signing…come on out! It’s a free event, and the largest Wisconsin book festival under one roof! www.sewibookfest.com)
