They say it’s better late than never. In my case, it’s better slow than never.
As an artist, my work takes time. From start to finish, there are multiple layers of marks before I sign off and file a piece away. Well, what’s new? I’m not only a slow artist, I am also a slow reader.
Here’s my bite-sized rhythm: just two pages a day, five days a week. Slowly but surely, I finished my ninth book from cover to cover the other day. Now my tenth is following the same magical pace. Think about compound interest: slow and steady. Oh, while you’re here, see pictured. Want to take a guess which book is my tenth one?
No exceptions? If I anticipate a no-reading day for whatever reason, I make sure I take a “cheat day” today by reading four pages instead. Why? I’d rather be one step ahead than one step behind. Playing catch-up is never fun.
As I slowly write this, today’s quota is done. What have I got out of it? New knowledge and a few new vocabulary words. Tomorrow and afterwards, no doubt the result will be twofold, threefold, and so on. There’s no sign of stopping. You don’t call it lifelong learning for nothing.
I would not have dared to say this three years ago before I set off on a slow start, but I can say it loudly and with full conviction:
I am a reader, too.
Ted Tsai 