Better Than Fiction

by Alexa Martin

There’s something that grounds you when you’re entrenched in nature. I don’t think humans were designed to never experience fresh air and stillness. Hustle culture has somehow shifted the narrative so that we feel guilty when we rest instead of accepting the truth, which is that we need rest to thrive. Add in the constant rise in the cost of living but never increasing pay? We’ve forgotten about work-life balance because we’re all killing ourselves to survive.

I’m more shocked than anybody that Jasper’s plan actually worked. I’m not sure I’m what anyone would call an avid reader yet, but I could see myself getting there. I’ve released the anger and disappointment I felt as a young girl and enjoyed the stories for what they are: an opportunity to relax and allow my mind to wander. When I get lost in these books, life feels a little bit lighter, as if there are endless opportunities for me.