A Reading Plan for Life
One Short Life. Millions of Books. What's a Girl to Read?
I recognize that I am twenty-three years old. I may have seventy more years of life ahead of me, but I may not — none of us knows how many years, months, weeks, or days we’ve been given.
I live in, through, and around books. Book-reading is one of the definitive measures of my existence — it propels my growth, it occupies my time, it shapes and defines me, it helps me to make sense of the world, it enables me to form and deepen relationships, it gives me joy, hope, and peace — and God speaks to me through literature, as does my race. I, as best I can, try to listen and to live my life accordingly — and, to say something in response.
In light of this, I don’t want to waste a single day or a single book. I want to read as much as possible in my short little life, but where does one even begin? How does one decide what to read? The question that has been on my mind is: how can I be intentional about my future reading? I don’t want to consume, consume, consume for quantity’s sake, but knowing how many books there are to read, and how short the time is, makes rapid consumption a temptation.
I want to read my books slowly and thoughtfully, taking time to reflect and let my thoughts ripen, so I can experience growth and application. I want to know and understand each book in depth — and to remain familiar and intimate with each book forever — but how can I read widely and in large amounts while also extracting the marrow from each book and giving it the space and time to change me? How can I do justice to each page my eyes will rove, without staying on that page forever?
We have an overwhelming selection of books at our fingertips, and each great book has something to say to us — how can we give them all a chance to speak, while listening (not just hearing) carefully?
My plan to make the most of my life’s reading:
Accept that I cannot read every great book in my lifetime.
Accept that I will have to pick and choose which great books to read, at the exclusion of others.
Be okay with pausing briefly with some books and lingering with others, depending on how they speak to me and how well I am able to listen in those circumstances.
Attempt to embody the classical principle festina lenta: “make haste slowly.”
Compile an ‘Ultimate World Reading List’ (utilizing classical reading lists, Harvard and Princeton reading lists, and so forth), divided into historical categories (Ancient, Medieval, Reformation/Renaissance, Early Modern, Modern, Postmodern, etc), and slowly check titles off over the course of my life.
Perhaps setting yearly goals (such as 5 Ancient, 5 Medieval, 5 Reformation/Renaissance, etc, titles per year) while also allowing myself to read spontaneously as I encounter books that interest me.
Allow myself to return to the books that say something I need to hear again and again, even if that means I will read one less “new” book in my lifetime.
Find comfort in my “soul books.”
Pretty relatable! Love the emphasis you place on allowing the good stuff to permeate, even at the cost of experiencing potential new favorites.
Once, I made a list of books I wanted to read, but I abandoned it because it was stressing me out. Now, I have a list of books I want to reread—I know, I’m crazy! This year, one of my goals is to read at least all the books I bought last year. I feel much less stressed and I’m enjoying reading a lot more this way.