I disappeared into a book last night

I changed into my pajamas, curled up under one of my Grandma's lap quilts on the end of my bed with a view of the world at about 6:20 p.m., and opened up the Libby app.  The audiobook I had started last week which I can't seem to finish opened up automatically but I wanted to actually try reading something again.

I've really struggled with this.  As a child, I used to get caught reading under the covers with a flashlight after bedtime.  I was never far from a book.  My favorite series growing up was the Boxcar Children.  

Sadly, at some point during my marriage, I essentially stopped reading.  I don't know if it was the distraction of the noise - the TV was always on or if it was the way he drained all my energy leaving none for myself or if it was the mindless scrolling that at some point took over, maybe as a coping mechanism or something else.  It was a piece of me my married self lost.

I had hoped to reclaim this part of me once again after the separation but it has been a struggle.  My mind so often seems to wander too much to get lost in a book.  And the distractions on my devices are significant.  I've substituted audiobooks as I seem to have more focus for them so I've actually finished a few audiobooks in the last year and a half.  But as evidenced by the half-listened to audiobook in my Libby app, even that has been somewhat of a challenge.

So last night, I picked a new ebook from the Libby app, a contemporary drama/comedy with a bit of romance and I settled in.  With the exception of one bathroom break, can you believe I didn't put that book down until after 10:00 p.m. when I turned the lights out to go to sleep?  Libby says I'm 41% done with the book already!

I probably smiled as I fell asleep.  It felt so good to reconnect with that little girl inside of me that sometimes just wants to disappear into a good book.