I finished my tenth book of the year today.

I’m a huge nerd and have always loved to read. It started when I was young; books became my constant, especially because my dad was in the Air Force and we moved around a lot. No matter where we landed, books came with me. They were familiar, steady, and always waiting when everything else felt new.

In fourth grade, we were stationed in Plattsburgh, New York. My teacher announced a reading contest he held every year. Any student who reads 1,000 pages would earn a brand-new, crisp, framed dollar bill. Any student who reads 2,000 pages would earn a watch. You better believe my best friend Kristina and I were going for those prizes.

We each earned our dollar bill.
We each earned our watch, and I wore mine every single day.

But then we kept going.

Every time you finished a book, you had to talk to the teacher and tell him a little about it, just to prove you were actually reading. At the end-of-year assembly, he explained that he only had two prizes because no one had ever gone much higher than 2,000 pages.

Then he shared the totals.

I had read just over 12,000 pages! Kristina was right behind me.

So yes – lifelong book nerd.

Those were the days of The Babysitters Club and The Sleepover Friends, and reading felt effortless and magical.

Fast forward many years, and while I still loved reading, I just wasn’t finding the time for it. Funny how working full-time and having three kids does that. When our neighborhood book club started in 2022, I slowly found my way back. Last year ended up being my best yet, with around 80 books.

Here’s something else I never expected: I used to be completely against listening to books. I thought it was cheating.

I was wrong.

I love audiobooks.

Since being laid off, listening to books has become both therapeutic and productive. I put on my headphones and vacuum, mop, do laundry, change sheets, clean dishes, you name it. I can finish a book in a day or two while getting through the never-ending list of household tasks.

Reading, whether with my eyes or my ears, is my way of escaping reality, even if only for a little while. Life can feel heavy, especially with the current state of the country and the constant noise of the news. I know I can get wrapped up in it and weighed down by it.

Books take me somewhere else.

Another time. Another place.

And sometimes, that small escape is exactly what I need.