As the world plunges further into chaos, periodically stepping away from it all takes on a greater level of importance. The daily pressures brought on by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic can be overwhelming, and so can the need to escape, even if only for a short while.
One of the best routes to that escape is through books.
A sense of peace descends over readers when they submerge themselves into a book, one that is absent when watching the latest TV or Netflix shows. Perhaps the difference is due to using fewer senses (vision vs. vision and hearing) or the lack of interruptions (no commercials or channel changing).
Or perhaps reading is a form of meditation in which the reader empties their mind of outside thought, yet engages their imagination through visualization – a type of sustained focus that blocks out external stimuli. And though the mind is active, that focus provides a temporary reprieve from daily worries and pressures.
So do yourself a favor and give your brain a break. Open a book to a different world and leave this one behind for a little while. Your mind, and subsequently your body, will appreciate it.
~RM~
