“As Katie wound her way among the tables, a breeze from the Atlantic rippled through her hair.”
The first sentence of a new book I started this morning. It’s gonna be a good one, a total page-turner. That first sentence just promises me so, it sends a surge of “wanting more” through to my core. (The book is Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks, by the way. Yes, I’ve already seen the movie, yes I broke my own law of book first, movie second… but his writings are captivating, especially since I am a young woman drawn to romance!)
As I open the cover and spot the Acknowledgements, I’m tempted to rush past and ignore them since it’s human nature to not care about anything behind the scenes. I stop, suddenly aware of how fast-paced our lives are, that we don’t stop to credit the composer or learn about the mastermind behind the discovery, goodness people, as cliche as it sounds, we do not stop to smell the roses. I prefer sunflowers, but anyway, why not take the opportunity to gain more out of what it is you are doing by connecting with the artist, the creator?
By reading, we are introduced to new stories, new vocabulary, greater knowledge and insight, adventure. By reading the prologue, Acknowledgements, and forwards, we learn about the influences in the author’s journey of writing their book, their struggles, the people who supported, encouraged, and taught them along the way. We learn that maybe a fictional character stems from someone who affected the writer’s daily life or childhood. We connect with the maker.
I taste the Vanilla almond cream in my hot, Saturday morning coffee and take the few minutes to understand and appreciate the effort involved in creating the next adventure to which I entertain my soul. And I am thankful for another day. (And also for electric blankets and friends from Middle school who sent one to you because her love is unconditional.)
🙂
Xoxo,
Lindsay
Coffee With Lindsay 