Toward the end of 2007 certain changes were occurring within me. I had symptoms of chronic stress. I’d experienced quite a bit in the previous 3 years leading up to 2008. Even still, I was consistently in the gym and leading what I thought was a healthy life. One day, a close friend of mine gave me a book entitled, "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. Of course, my first thought was, ‘I hope I can finish this’ as I sat and took note of the number of pages in the book. I was motivated by the content within. I knew I needed it in my life. I immediately believed that I could and would finish the book, even if it took me months to do so. After only a few pages, the book was pointing out my problem with reading. I needed to free myself for a moment from time and thoughts, in order to enter an open space and stillness to read this book.Eventually an even bigger epiphany came upon me. The exercise of reading is a form of meditation in itself; like a time to time out. I felt the healing benefits every time I picked up that book, no matter how much I read from it in a day. I felt so good while reading it, that I didn't want it to end. The substance of what I was reading was in full alignment with what the act of reading was doing for me during that time.
I now have a list of books, that I have a goal of reading within the year. The content of all the books I’ve been reading and will read is connected to the reason why I find reading to be so important now. I have a sort of spiritual moment every time I choose to stop the busy mind chatter and read. I’m inspired by the books I have read so far, but even more inspiring is what the journey of reading a whole book bit by bit, day by day, at my own pace has become.
