A.R. Geiger

Every few years, I go through this weird cycle where I feel like I have to learn to read all over again.

Is that crazy? Does anyone else have this problem?

Maybe it’s just seasons of life changing and having to learn to readapt to new schedules and routines. Maybe it’s my interests fluctuating and developing… what I was reading three years ago is not naturally what I reach for now.

Let’s be honest, though. Social media is part of it. If you’ve followed me for a while, you might have noticed that I am MIA from Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook recently. I started to notice that the time I spent actually making connections and building an audience was completely dwarfed by the endless, mindless scrolling I was doing.

And how badly it was bothering my attention span and my mental health.

So I took a step back. It might not be the best thing for my books and the sales I get, but it was the best thing for my mind.

Since we moved into the new house, I’ve been rebuilding my ability to read. History is my current obsession, but there have been some classics scattered in there, and a few lighter things.

It’s been bliss.

I’ve loved to read since I was four years old, and after my last pregnancy the habit pretty much fell by the wayside. Now I’m learning it again. To be honest, I fully expect to have to relearn it all over again after my daughter is born. And again and again over my life.

Maintaining an attention span is a little hard in our current world. Plus, life changes. I’m learning I have to change with it and let my habits get reshaped by my current season.

It’s okay, though. As long as I can relearn it every time, I don’t mind having to do the work.

And let’s be really, really honest for a minute and just admit that I’m way too much of a nerd to completely lose the habit. It’ll always come back.