With each passing year, I find myself seeking ways to bring more simplicity into my life.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that having a vast amount of material possessions doesn’t bring me comfort. It actually stresses me out.
In an effort to unburden myself, I’ve spent the past couple of years donating clothes that I no longer wear and getting rid of other things that were simply taking up space.
I’ve been able to pare down my wardrobe, but haven’t been able to apply that practice to my overstuffed bookshelf.
That’s why I’m hoping for a Kindle, or similar e-reader, this Christmas.
Rather than continuing to buy books that I’ll only read once and then stick on a shelf filled with other titles collecting dust, I’d like to have everything all in one place.
As an English major, it almost seems like blasphemy to get rid of, or replace, my physical books, but the device would allow me to finally close that chapter of my life and move completely into the digital age.
I could take it on trips and it would make a potential future move easier. Who wants to transport hundreds of books when they could all be stored on one device? Not me. I’ve already done it on several past occasions.
Aside from its practicality, the e-reader would also continue to provide what I love about books. Reading fiction brings some calm and relaxation into a fast-paced lifestyle. It can be a way to hit pause when daily life becomes overwhelming.
Instead of thinking of what’s going on in my own life, I can be transported to other worlds, where I can focus on the stories of and challenges faced by fictional characters.
I seek out movies for similar reasons, but there’s something unique about using your imagination to picture what different characters and places described in novels are like.
There’s a reason the “Harry Potter” series became such a phenomenon. Through seven books, we “watched” the characters grow up and were able to relate to the trials and tribulations they faced. It’s the mark of a good writer when readers start to care about fictional characters.
Unlike “Harry Potter,” I’m not easy to read, so I will most likely get something else for Christmas and will end up buying a Kindle for myself.
Although I would be inclined to agree with another columnist who argues that it’s better to give than receive gifts, there’s still something to be said about how nice it feels when someone knows you enough to get you exactly what you’re looking for.
