I have 30 plus books in the “to be read” pile that I own.
Whew! Admitting is the first step to recovery, right? This isn't something in need of recovery, however. Although an ever-growing pile of that nature can be daunting, there's something special about the adventures to come from such a simple thing.
"Seeming difficult to deal with in anticipation––intimidating,” are words chosen to define daunting according to the Oxford Dictionary. Most people wouldn't consider a stack of books to be any of those, but to an avid reader, you may start to question not only your abilities, but the ability of your wallet to pay for more.
For a reader, this pile isn't just books––it's looking directly up at the world's tallest building, and with each book crossed off, you've completed another staircase, working your way up the tedious, yet exciting sky.
When looking at your tbr books, only more questions will follow. In my opinion, there are three major kinds of tbr fears. There's the 'this book will consume my life' fear, the 'what if it's not as good as everyone says' fear, and the fear of knowing it'll come to an end.
Now the first fear, in its purest form, is known as becoming a fangirl/fanboy. These fans devote a special part of their daily life to their favorites. However, it's important to note once you begin the fan life, you can't stop, making a horrible yet amazing way to spend your time and meet new people.
The second is for those who finally pick up that book the world can't take their eyes of off, but, unfortunately, picking it up is about as far as you get. When the world spotlights a certain book or series, it's likely to be good, but some of the book's quality diminishes with glorified hype. This is not only annoying, but takes out the fun in reading something new.
Lastly, worse than running low on book cash, worse than becoming an obsessed fan, and worse than being let down is knowing opening that book will mean the end. A book is an adventure with lessons and teaching inside which each reader will see differently. It is a piece of the writer's heart and soul, and most likely it has become home. When you reach that last book, it feels heavy in your hands––it's a part of you, and it's almost finished.
From the opening lines to the bittersweet last words, every book has the chance to change our ways of thinking. Sure that monstrous pile of books can be daunting, but it's stunning as well.
If your book shelves hold at least one book close to your heart, then the beauty is easy to understand. When you first look at book you look at the title, cover, and probably read summary, but the real magic comes when thinking of the adventures, lessons and experiences that come with it.
While books lead your mind through the adventures and stories of extraordinary people, they can also inspire you to take your own leaps of faith, live a life worthy of a story and even meet new people.
A to be read pile is both daunting and stunning simply because it's not 26 letters combined on thousands of pages, it's a home free of judgement and free of limitation.