Books Nourish my Thirsty Soul

I have always been a reader. 

I've always loved books and the places they could take me. 

I've always loved the characters that could seem like my best friends--

I knew what they were thinking--

what they were feeling--

I went through their struggles and heartaches with them--

they made mistakes so that I didn't have to--

although sometimes I did make the same ones…often with the same outcome.

I learned life lessons from the characters in so many books.

I don't get the same fulfillment from watching television or movies that I do from reading a book.

My entire body feels the stories I read.

My eyes strain from reading too long--

my head begins to ache because I've been absentmindedly clutching at my hair--

my wrists become sore from resting my chin upon my hand for too long when I've become enthralled by the story--

my body becomes stiff from being in the same unusual position for extended amounts of time.

But my soul? 

My soul….feel nourished.

I am rereading the Harry Potter series and just stayed up finishing the first book.

I have been going through so many ups and downs lately with things going on in my personal life--

and Albus Dumbledore (okay… technically J.K. Rowling) told me exactly what I needed to hear.

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that."

"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."

"The trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

"Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the things itself."

"The truth." "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."

The great thing about rereading a book is that each time I do I'm at a different place in my life.

Since I'm on a much different journey now than I was the first time I read this book, (considering things weren't too difficult or thought provoking in middle school) things I just skimmed over before have such greater meanings now. The friendships are what popped out at me before--oh how wonderful it is to have friends that will stand up to you and for you, friends that would risk their lives to save you, friends that would do anything just to make you happy. 

There are so many lessons we learn daily that we probably take for granted.

We get caught up in what is happening on our phones, in school, at work…and forget to live our lives.

We're too busy dreaming about what could be instead of relishing in what is.

Make the most of life and live every moment as a new adventure.

Don't be afraid to conquer your fears face on. (A Voldemort joke for ya!)

Lastly, seek the truth…you may not always like the outcome, but find beauty in the truth. 

It can change your life.

xoxo