When I mention the word abandoned, what do you think of? What comes to mind, first? Let's look at the definition of "abandoned" and ponder this together.
adjective
1.
forsaken or deserted: an abandoned building; an abandoned kitten.
2.
unrestrained or uncontrolled; uninhibited: She danced with abandoned enthusiasm.
3.
utterly lacking in moral restraints; shameless; wicked: an abandoned and dissolute ruler.
Alright, so abandoned has its initial meaning that resonates with most of us at first thought: forsaken, deserted. Hmm, we can work with that!
In our lives we come across many many things that are abandoned in our world. Abandoned buildings, vehicles, towns, people, job positions and so on, are everywhere we look. In our own homes we might have abandoned things like CD's, movies, items of clothing, shoes, small appliances and even things much larger like our dreams and each other. These can either come as an oversight, a misplacement or even an intentional denial. A discussion of these items is definitely something that should probably be done, but let's save that for another day. What I want to hit on today can be found in the picture clue below. Yep, you guessed it, books!! To say the least, books are amazing. Within them we can find so many things such as new knowledge, adventure to far off places and times, disturbing realities and even things we already knew.
I don't know about you, but I was never a big reader growing up. I wrote a lot of stories, drew a lot of pictures and dreamed a lot with a ton of imagination in tow. Yet even in college I wasn't and avid book reader outside of the plethora of text books I HAD to read. Since reaching the age of being responsible, I still don't read like I know I should. However, there are a great number of books that I have purchased with the intention of reading them to digest their information and knowledge but have yet to do so. Seeing them on the shelf or in one of my cubbies now makes me think of what exactly I have abandoned within those unread pages. Am I missing out on concepts, ideas, thought processes or other things that could benefit me? Am I slapping these authors in the face by buying their books and then never reading them? It makes me wonder and makes me curious all at the same time. So, as someone who thoroughly enjoys writing, it would only make sense that I should commit to reading more. More information to share, more experiences, feelings, emotions, can only be beneficial to a so-called, wanna be writer, don't ya think??
As I took time to browse through some of these misfit books on my shelves today, I opened a few of them and began to read. Maybe only a page or two in this one and maybe a chapter or more in that one, but it made a difference. My definition of abandoned began to change. If you scroll back up and look at that definition again in its entirety, you may notice definition number two. This approach to abandoned is totally different than that first. Like dancing, or singing or frolicking through a field on a warm day, having that type of abandoned is a good thing! It is not a neglect or a shunning spirit but more a hunger, and appetite that is unbridled. THIS is the way I now want to approach reading. The books on my shelves, even though not all, now have begun to look like a buffet of awe. I am thrilled! For someone who has been well intentioned for years now but has rarely acted upon that as far as books go, I now am being converted one word and one page at a time. I remember the last book I read in its entirety. I was entitled Walk Across America. In a nut shell, it is the story of a man who spent years walking across all the different parts of America. He documented those whom he met, things he experienced and even wrote of the things that scared him to death. This was a great book! After reading it, I thought, no book could ever be this interesting or engaging to me. Sitting here right now as I write this post, I am anxious to seek out yet another book that draws me in like that one did.
I want to issue a challenge to each of you reading this post. Go look on your own shelves, in your own night stand drawers or even on the shelves of your local book seller and FIND something to sink your teeth into. Be abandoned in this pursuit. Throw caution and doubt to the wind and delve into pages that have been crafted with care and deep thought. Enjoy the fruits of their labors. I am. Even at this moment a book came to mind that I purchased probably 7 years ago that I now have no clue where it is. I must find it. I must search until its hard firm binding is resting in my hand. What book is it? It is called The Reign of Iron. It is a historical account of the first iron clad ships in American warfare, the Monitor and the Merrimack. It is an amazing glimpse into life aboard told by members of the crew. Yes, I must find this book and again commence on the journey found within the lines of its chapters. So, it is getting late in the evening and bed time for some is not far off. What better time to settle in with perhaps a cup of hot tea or a cup of coffee and just................read. You and I both may be pleasantly surprised what we discover!
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