I started in the car. Then I continued in the hotel. Then on the stationary bike. Then on the treadmill. Then at the breakfast table. Then in bed. As in, back in bed. And that’s when Matt drew the line.
It was the first day of our official vacation. One week for ministry. One week for us. I was so exhausted after speaking four times at the conference and the week of traveling with Matt for the church plant, I collapsed when I returned to our host’s home. Literally, I plopped on the bed and thought about all the mistakes I made, what I should have said, what I could have done. I didn’t realize how much of my style of teaching would be altered by a translator, but I analyzed every sentence, every break, every session.
On the first day of vacation, I pick up a book and don’t put it down. In our five hour drive from Herborn or Fussen, I’m lost in a land and time far away. Kathryn Stockett’s The Help created characters so real, I felt like I was a black maid in Jackson, Mississipi in 1966. For the past two days I’m so wrapped up in muggy Mississippi heat in my mind, I respond with a southern drawl when Matt asks me a question. What darlin’? Yessir, you betta believe I love me some water.
He shakes his head and asks me when I’ll pull my nose out of the book. Oh sho’nuff, baby. I reckon we need some lunch. MmmHmm, we do.
But my southern charm was useless on the second day of vacation when I returned to our hotel room, slipped into something comfy, and crawled back in bed. At 10:07am withThe Help cradled in my hands. Matt came in nearly chocked on his shock. What are you doing BACK in bed, he questioned in utter disbelief. He pulled back the curtain and pointed to the beautiful country landscape just outside our window. The din and chatter below our window at the cafe was a mix of laughing, talking, and eating. The sky was blue, drawing a perfect backdrop to the mountainous Austrian boarder. The church bell rang in the most inopportune time, creating a scene from The Sound of Music. And I—well, I—sat in bed with my book and told him reading was my vacation.
After reading for seven hours, I finally put my book down. Matt gave me one of those shocked looks again when he came back in the room to find me still in bed reading after his exploration of the city. I knew I should stop. But I had to finish. I just had to. Minnie and Aibileen and Skeeter were my friends know. I needed to make sure they were okay. I needed to find out if they finished their book on time. I needed to… lose myself.
A revelation occurred after Matt pried the book out of my hands so we could go to dinner. I lost myself. I lost myself in a story that wasn’t mine. And this wasn’t good.
To be continued tomorrow…
This makes me smile SO big! I read The Help last summer when I was in bed sick – I would read for an hour and then have to rest for about three, but I finished that book in about 3 days! As soon as I finished I wanted to start again! Such an awesome book! Well worth any marital disputes!!
This was a very usefull post. A great big thank you. U should submit your article at qateq.com
Sounds like I need to pick this book up. I'm also looking forward to your continuation post. I find myself getting wrapped up in others' stories instead of really living my own. Wishing I was somewhere else, doing something different, doing what someone else was doing…Can't wait to read it!
The Help was a book I continued to think about for months. The characters absolutely shaped the way that I see situations, even now. I'm excited/nervous about the movie and its validity to the book.
What's wrong with getting lost in a book?
Bulls Offense was so pathetic last night they kept running plays for D Rose and Heat figured it out, that’s why they lost Game 4 and Boozer
Not lost in a book, maybe hidding in a book?
I'm in the middle of reading this book (as in, I started yesterday, haha) and although I'm officially a college grad and on summer vacation…all I want to do is go home to Minnie and Ms. Skeeter. If I were in Germany though, it might be a different story 😉
I finished it in a week! I took it everywher, snuck in a read or two while my kids slept (I teach preschool), I can't wait for the movie!
B, you are so funny but I was also talking in a southern drawl after listening to the audiobook in which each character has an accent. Can't wait for the movie to come out in August! But you must give your boo some equal time, after you finish reading the book of course!
This one hurts… I'll be back tomorrow. Hate getting stuck in the middle. You know. Have to finish the story. 😉
Praying for you mija
great article. i like it. continue the good work.
I know the point of this whole story shouldn't lead me to just comment, "ZOMG I LOVED THAT BOOK!" but I totes did and maybe if Matt had some sense he'd get it 😐 lol.
Regardless, want to go see the movie with me? I think it looks just like I imagined everything while I was reading the book. I stayed up til 5 AM to finish it and then had to read contracts for class at 9. I also started The Hunger Games at 11 PM in the bathtub and ended up reading in bed until 4 AM to finish it because I COULDN'T STOP. And I'm totally okay with living in stories 😉
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