Really Reading vs. Just Skimming

As Elizabeth Bennet warns Colonel Fitzwilliam (at least in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie), "Prepare yourself for something quite dreadful."

I confess that I've gotten into a terrible habit of skimming books. Not all of them, mind you, but it seems the more "for fun" books I acquire, the easier it is to justify skipping through virtual or paper pages. Unless I've agreed to review it or determined from the get-go that I want to read every word, the temptation is there.

Perhaps that's saved me time reading books I wouldn't overly enjoy anyway.

But perhaps it's kept me from fully experiencing some great stories.

By jumping ahead to the fun, exciting, more adventurous parts, I miss the journey of characters growing and blossoming and emerging through fire. I miss meaningful encounters and everyday exchanges.

I get the gist, but I miss the chance to read between the lines.

This confession doesn't mean I'll never skim a book again. Sometimes we have to let things go so we can devote our focus to things better-suited for us.

But I hope to take the time to fully enjoy more of the books I have and to experience all that the stories might hold in store.

Same goes for how I live my life.