response to: how to get free chocolate

See here for what spurred this post. It was getting waaaay too long to leave in the comment section.

Read if you dare. It will be tangential, and long winded, and definitely stream of conscious. But, what else is new?


To Miss Scarlet:

Wow, you're a little bossy. :P

Haha, and, I did give myself a pat in the back.

AND, I've thought a lot about what we talked about (not stressing, etc.) since Monday, and I think this (book reading) has a direct relation to it.

I think I'll write a post, [which I am now doing] too, but because I sometimes take forever to write something, I'll give you my two cents about reading books.

I LOVE BOOKS. Remember that time when we still need to talk about Catching Fire? And there's a whole year until the next one that comes out? Or Tuesday night, instead of doing my homework, I read the Castle book? [I did get it done later....] ya... But do you know what?

1) My books (and my crocheting) literally were the only things that kept me at all sane last year [or at least some semblance of sanity], when I first moved out here.

2) Reading teaches one so much about life lessons, and helps one to see and hear new stories and ideas and use one's imagination. I think that it is an amazing gift that we can give ourselves that will help us in whatever we end up doing in our life.

3) Sometimes I do read more than one book, and I do have a stack of books that I need to read, and many that I want to get so I can read them. I love going back to old books like old friends. The first time I read a story, I read it just for a story. Then it's because I love the characters. I eventually will also read because of the way an author writes. That's when I know that a book has become a part of me. Does that make sense? For me to be able to step away from the story, and to see how a story is written. I love it.

I don't know if this is helping you with your problem.

Sorry, more practical.

When I'm reading more than one book (lately it's more likely that I'm listening to one story, and reading another) I sometimes have to turn the page back, to remind myself exactly what's going on, but I think you'll find that you become immersed in the story quick enough.

I've heard people who have the book in the car, purse, bathroom and bedroom, so that wherever they are, there's a book for them to read, so that they're never without.

My family is like that. We'll actually fight over books. Especially the parents. The only time I can remember them 'arguing' (besides pillow theft of course) is when one steals the other's book before they have finished.

My grandpa papa is currently needing to build more shelves (but not in the closet) to hold all his books.

Hmm, now I'm getting tangential.

Enough with the books. More tangents.

So on Monday, we decided to worry less, no?

My last transfer as an hermana, me and the comp decided (because we both tend to be little stress-balls) made it a goal to have fun every day. And to achieve this goal [see what good little missionaries we were? :)] we were going to do something as simple as take a picture every day.

I cannot tell you what a difference that made. Some of those pictures are my favorite pictures I own. Many times we would ask the random people we talked to if we could take a picture with them.

There's the one of us with the man, by the pine tree. There's the one with my head cut off of me and Kate with la pastora. Or the cows in the swampy land... But I digress.

It worked. We had fun. And we were still able to work hard.

As I was being driven by a member to Tampa to be booted out of the mission, our friend who was driving related something she'd heard about us. One of the members said that they knew we were good missionaries because she could always feel the Spirit around us, and that we were always so happy together. I wish that I could remember the exact words, because it illustrates my point. And my point is, we had an outlet for stress. And eventually we stopped stressing. And then we started having fun, even. And I think that the Spirit is more able to work with us, and be there with us, when we are not caught up in concerns, be they ever so big, or ever so small.

So, back to books, if books are something that helps you have fun, and thus more fully experience the Spirit in your life, I say go for it.

The other thing that I would suggest, is making it a simple goal. for example, the photograph thing? That was not something hard, that really interfered with missionary work. If it was, I think it would have caused more harm than good, by causing more stress. For example, maybe saying, I will allow myself at least one hour of quality time with my book a day. It's enough for your outlet, but it's not so much that it would interfere with school work, and thus cause you more stress.

And that, my friend, is my response. Super long, and probably doesn't help you too much with your book problem (sorry!) but I think refers more to paragraph three.

And to those who actually made it through - any thoughts or suggestions for me or Miss Scarlet?