Productive Afternoons

I am almost positive that my idea of a productive afternoon will differ from yours. If I get to spend hours in a book (or several books, to be more accurate), and some time writing hurriedly in my journal, I feel a sense of being productive. Pages turn between my fingers and words mix and co-mingle in my thoughts as I read the author's prose or verse. I feel a stir deep within and hear the words jump out from the pages as if they were being read to me. I cannot stop the words from flowing out onto the page as I begin to write. My hand cannot keep up.

Destined to become my whole afternoon if time allows, I would stay here all day, except usually some duty likely calls upon me. Blast those groceries that cannot buy themselves!

I try to stay diverse and read all kinds of authors and stories so that I can be well-rounded, with mixtures of old and new. I just finished a book on Marie Antoinette and the beginning of the French Revolution. It was fascinating and I learned so much about the meaning behind the revolution and the people of France (especially the king and queen- Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette). I feel the details expand as if they happened a few years ago. Reading about them delivers the reminder of history to our modern day. Are we doomed to repeat such horrible events of history? Learning about the people we can see what mistakes they made and vices they allowed themselves to indulge in, which impacted an entire country (and beyond) because leadership influence is that far-reaching.

Since the book was written by a modern writer, I found myself aching for older, deeper writing as a contrast. So, naturally I turn to C.S. Lewis. His essays compiled in the small book The Grand Miracle are full of practical but though-provoking insights. They are essays I can read over and over, and come out with more wisdom with each reading. That's just how C.S. Lewis is, though.

May this afternoon be productive for you, in your own way. Now I shall go on and continue in my productivity. If you need me, look for the trail of books.