The 12 in 12 Challenge

How many books do you read in a year?

Reading can be fun and challenging, but it can also be something that we have little time to do. Sometimes our schedules are too busy to allow us time to pick up a book. Sometimes we become so immersed in other forms of media, we forget the simple pleasures reading a book from cover to cover can provide. Whatever the reasoning, we owe it to ourselves, and to posterity, to pick up a book and read.

The written word is a marvel of the human mind. It can: express our ideas, trigger our feelings, transmit thoughts, communicate instructions, disseminate knowledge, fuel ambition, guide our actions, transform our world, and become the last bastion of fallen civilizations. The written word can do so much. However, reading can be time consuming and many of us just don't have the time. We do, however, read other things daily: e-mails, text messages, letters, road signs, billboards, package information, and much more. We actually read all the time. It just so happens that the type of reading we are exposed to happens in small bits and chunks. The written word is ubiquitous.

Yet, no matter the type of reading we are accustomed to in our daily life, there is no replacing a good book. The act of picking a book to read and opening to the first page is an act that should be celebrated. I often enjoy my last few hours at home, when the house is quiet and the chores are done. This is when I can sit down with the dogs curled at my feet and a good book in my hands. I can recall a few times that I fell asleep reading: not because the books were boring, but because I read unto sleep.

One of the challenges I set forth for myself was one which I could read at least one book per month. For someone who loves to read, this may sound like not much at all, but believe me- my schedule that last several years has cut into my reading time. Now things are more conducive to reading, and I want to really set a good example for my children, so I needed to challenge myself. This is why I chose the 12 in 12 challenge - to read one book per month for an entire year, as a base minimum. In all reality most years will find that I read more than 12 books a year, but I like to make sure I get at least one in per month. (You'll find a listing of the books I've read at the bottom of the home page on this blog).

I guess it really does not matter which books you read, or even which short stories. The whole idea is to promote literacy and strengthen the brain. It also is an enjoyable past time. I read all sorts of books: childrens' books with my kids, textbooks, primary sources, instructional, travelogues, and my favorite: sci-fi/fantasy. The point is to read. There is no shame in reading electronic books either, they are still the printed word - just in a different format.

I am so enthusiastic about this attainable goal that I invite you to join in the 12 in 12 challenge as well. You might be surprised what adventures you'll find yourself in all year 'round. Enjoy the skills you have acquired and read as much as you can.

Read On!

--Brian