Put down the remote and pick up a book! Sounds crazy that those words are coming out of my mouth. But the older I get, the less I’m interested in what’s on the tube and the more I care about what’s going on around me. My Mentor, for a new project I have involved myself in, is very passionate about self-growth. Over the last few weeks he has been telling me about books he wants me to read so I can achieve better personal development. The first book he has given me to read is The Noticer, by Andy Andrews. Before I dive into the book itself, I think it is important for me to explain how I am as a reader.
It is not often that I read books. I have many friends who are avid readers. For me, it hasn’t always been a huge interest of mine. That doesn’t mean I don’t read, but it takes a lot to peak my interest. I could say that my attention span is that of a child; in the sense that the book has to catch my attention within the first page. If it doesn’t, chances are I won’t pick that book up again. There have only been a small handful of books that I’ve actually completed because they had my attention throughout the entire book. With this new book my Mentor has given to me, I’m only into the second chapter and I am very intrigued by the story.
Although I haven’t gotten deep into the book, I can tell it will be one I won’t have a problem reading. I’m excited to complete the story and share my thoughts. But in the meantime, it’s given me a revelation that I need to get back to doing things that allow me to have a deeper connection with myself. With social media and reality shows, it’s easy to lose sight of self and become engulfed in a fantasy world. But I want to be more present and learn something from novels or poetry; any form of written word. Yes, it’s nice to live in a fantasy, but I’d rather it be a fantasy of fiction, where I can see the words, almost as if they leap off the page. Where I can visualize being in that place with the character in the story. I can feel their emotions, I can hear their thoughts, I can see what they see. So far in this book, I can see myself under the pier with the narrator. I can feel when he is cold and when he is down. It feels great to get back to reading. As a fellow writer, it’s refreshing to see how words are strategically placed to create an atmosphere you can drift away to.
If you’ve read The Noticer before, let me know what you think. If you haven’t and you want to read along with me, let me know! We can start our own book club. Either way, I will definitely make a follow-up post to share my thoughts.
Happy reading!
💋 TJ