Today has been one of those days where all I want to do is curl up with a book and read for a few years. I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about, and I won’t bore you with the details of what all went wrong today. And in the grand scheme of things, it really wasn’t a terrible, no good, very bad day. Just inconvenient. Times seven.
Truth is, taking the day off will not solve any of the current situations. It will only make tomorrow worse when I have to catch up on all the missed work.
Still. It’s tempting.
I want to grab one of my comfort reads and sink into a story where I know that everything is going to work out perfect in the end. The characters are going to have problems, they’re sure to have bad days, but it’s going to be a happily ever after at the end.
Do you ever just want to fall back into a comfort book? Or does picking a new read help more?
The more I thought about how I could use this situation as a writer, the more I realized that if this moment, this page of my story, had the potential to be a defining moment. It might be the hard push I need to make a change, just like how authors push their characters to become better versions of themselves, so adversity pushes us. We can fall prey to the situation, or we can rise. For a few minutes today, I fell. I grumbled and complained and wanted to give up.
But then I picked myself up, brushed the dust off, and got back in the literary saddle.
I love that books and the impact they have on my life helped me through this moment and forced me to look up. The inspirational messages I’ve found in CCR have woven their way into my heart and changed how I think about bad days. I still plan on grabbing a favorite and settling in for a reread once the work is done, though.
Tabitha Bouldin has a bachelor's degree in creative writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has been writing since 2015. When she's not homeschooling her kids, you'll find her curled up with a book. Tabitha's genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart.
I love this: “ The inspirational messages I’ve found in CCR have woven their way into my heart and changed how I think about bad days. ”
I have found that in many of the CCR I read. The characters seem almost too good to be true, and then I realize that with Jesus we should be so good that it proves He’s true!
That is a great way of looking at it, Jeannette! I always think about how we might strive to be perfect but without Him there is so little good in us that it’s impossible.
I definitely have books I read for comfort in difficult times. I love discovering new inspirational characters and stories too, but sometimes I need my old favourites I’ve read so many times they are almost falling apart and I can almost recite them word for word!
It’s great to be able to pull out those favorites and know that they won’t disappoint. Do you ever find new things in the story that you missed, even if you’ve read it what seems like a million times?
Yes, I definitely notice new things or lines that I don’t remember – I think a good book can relate in different ways at different times so there’s always something new to find
Just reading helps – old favorites or something new.
Do you ever read a new and an old at the same time? Occasionally I’ll start off with a new book but then grab an old favorite and alternate reading throughout the day.
Yes, I agree. It inspires me to be better and do better. To find strength in the Storm. Blessings.
I love that we can find inspiration in something as innocuous as a book. There is strength when we need it most to combat the storms.
I wish for you comfort and healing. God bless you.
Thank you so much, Laurie. God bless you as well
I do have a few books that I turn to when I just need that happy ending, to know they went through rough patches, but everything ended in a happily ever after. Even if I’m reading a book, sometimes I just need the other book, as I’m not ready to go through the current book’s rough patch.
I completely understand that. I get so worked up over what they’re going through that I have to take a step back and find comfort in a favorite too. Do you mind if I ask which books you find yourself going back to?
Don’t laugh at my answer!! Lol!! I go back to my really old Betty Neels Harlequins, and The Proper Wife by Winnie Griggs. I’ll even (sometimes) go back to my (also really old) copies of Hilda Stahll’s books. Mainly, it’s the Betty Neels and the one by Winnie Griggs. I’ve read Winnie’s soooooooo many times now!! I almost have some parts totally memorized. When I’m in the middle of proofreading or reading an ARC, I’ll those and the one by Winnie when I’m riding my bike. As soon as I hit an error in one of the others, I pick up the one by Winnie. That is, if I finish my prayer time on the bike before I stop riding.
Trudy I am another Betty Neels fan, such lovely comforting books!
Author Autumn MacArthur is, too!! So is author Parker J Cole! I LOVE Betty Neels books! Autumn told me Essie Sommers, who also wrote for Harlequin when Betty did, was a minister’s wife.
I read whatever I have if I need to just go curl up and read. My room is like a library .I really like love inspired and harlequin heartwarming books
Those are some great books. I’ve found myself reading more of them this year than I ever have before. Any particular favorites?
I have been known to curl up with a book when I am having a bad day. I like that the book can take me away from the bad I was focusing on and give me hope.
That’s exactly how I feel. The ability to escape into the pages of a book is amazing. And peaceful.
Whether it is an old favorite or a new, I think we all need to break away and dive into a good book now & then. Some days just don’t seem possible to continue without a boost of refreshment somewhere along the way. Now, for how to put it down and get back to reality…I still need to work on that part!
Oh yes! Getting back to reality is tough. I’d much rather stay curled up in the book for days on end. I think for me too, it might be the intense satisfaction I get from finishing a book and seeing the ending all wrapped up in a pretty bow.
Thanks for sharing (and maybe even reminding us) the lessons you’ve learned. And while a new book can offer a HEA just as well, sometimes we just need the comfort of a familiar, favorite one. :)
You did the right thing Tabitha, dusted it off and picked yourself up, that’s the Best thing we can do, we Cannot and should Not give up . We will have some good days and some not so good days, but we must keep on and not give up, we are human and sometimes we feel like giving up but God says I am Always with you , and with that we know that He is always with us and He will not let us give up, take one day at a time. I read books that I have not read before. Have a great long weekend and take care of yourself.
nice inspiration
I always find reading a very comfort to me when I am down Prayers coming to you for a better tomorrow !
I also read Betty Neels as a comfort read, Trudy
I am sorry that your day has not gone well. I hope it has gotten better. I pray for strength and peace for you. CCR books have been my escape from reality. I like reading about the trials and tribulations knowing the there is a happily ever after coming. I especially like books where God’s presence is shown. I have so many new books to read that I don’t go back to old reads, at least not yet. Hang in there and keep writing for the rest of us. Thank you.
If not for conflict, it would be difficult to figure out how to overcome adversity. You discover more about yourself and make your characters in a story more real. Nobody is perfect; flaws offer ways to develop more ways for experiencing growth and development.
A good book makes a hard day better and a good day great!
I am fairly new to Christian writing, but it has been so helpful and motivating to me. It’s like I read just the right line in a book at just the right time and I get chills….
I usually fall back on an old comfort book. Taking a break generally helps me refocus and start up again.
A lot of times when I have a rough day I’ll pick up any book, new or old, and try to disappear in the story for a bit. Then things don’t seem as bad.
I always find comfort in the books!
I do read books as an escape from my heart aches and discouragements. Through reading inspirational romance I have learned a few things to help me be a better person.
Knowing, that no matter what, God will bring us through to our eternal HEA!
Thank you so much for sharing. I am sorry, I am two days late. Yesterday was an extremely stressful day. I was not able to get much accomplished. God bless you.
thanks for the encouragement
On rough days I often fall back on comfort or favorite reads.