A Balanced Diet

We all know that we can’t live on chocolate chip cookies alone. Experts tell us we need a proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, and “good” fats, along with essential vitamins and minerals to be healthy. And of course, they allow us an occasional treat, so we don’t give up on healthy eating altogether.

The same is true, I’ve found, with reading. If I gave into my baser instincts, I could get caught up in a good mystery and never get anything else read. So I developed a plan for a balanced reading diet. Right now, I’m reading in preparation for oral comps, so reading texts from or about 18th century British literature constitutes my “work” reading, which takes up most of my day. But if this is all I read, reading becomes too much like “work,” even though I enjoy 18th century British literature and truly desire to master the subject. So, I decided to add some spice to my life.

Every morning, I read some poetry (See earlier post, The Poetry Plan) for my heart, and something devotional for my soul. Then I get into the work reading, and when I’ve finished what I’ve planned to cover for that day, any remaining time for reading is given to recreational reading. So far it’s working for me. My comps preparation is moving forward at a good and steady pace, and I still have time to feed the other parts of myself.

I still haven’t conquered my sweet tooth, though.