I'm going home to read
Jessica Weir
I love to read. If the book is long and part of a series = amazing. Please share your favorites with me! I'd often feel that I needed to be out and be social or at work when all I wanted to do was get back to the book I was reading. Since I was a child, I have stayed up way past my bedtime to keep reading. Growing up my mom would tell me to turn off my light and go to sleep hours after my bedtime. To this day I stay up into the wee hours reading. I've tried to read only boring or more non-fiction type books before bed so that I wouldn't have that need to keep reading to find out what happens next. I also set timers, which rarely worked.
You might relate to this passion for books and stories. I can become so engrossed in a series but weeks later I'd have trouble remembering the plot points or character names. I've also taken out books from the library that I've already read but forgotten about. My mom is the same way. On the hand, when I fall in love with a story or the characters it stays with me and becomes part of me. My mom and I have read one particular book series multiple times. I'd love to hear your guesses as to which series that might be.
The real reason for me mentioning all this is to tell you about my first real discovery and understanding of introversion. I'd taken a Myers-Briggs personality test and found my type, ISFJ at the time though I've recently been an INFJ. So in my discovery of this information I became incredibly curious. What books were out there for me to better understand my personality? Maybe they could help me feel more normal or at least better about myself. So I went to Barnes and Noble to the self help section and looked for books about introverts and I discovered "Introvert Power" by Laurie Helgoe, PhD. It's a great book. In it she said a common experience for introverts was being in a social setting and wanting to go home to read. I absolutely related to that. What validation that offered me! My thoughts were: I'm an introvert and it's totally okay for me, even wonderful that I want to go home and read. There is nothing wrong with me for wanting to stay home. Phew... That set me on the path to greater awareness, understanding and acceptance of who I am. It gave me a sense of empowerment and freedom to do what I wanted to do, which was often to go home and read.
And I was serious when I said that I want you to tell me about your favorite books. Please do.