Reading in the Slow Lane

nnguyen21 via Pixabay

 I used to hate it when the drive-through line at Starbucks was long, something that happens often. The perfect line was no line -- one where I could drive straight through to the window, order, pick up my drink, and be on my way. 

But I've changed my outlook.

I decided to see the line as a means of developing my patience, something I too often have in short supply. On days when that outlook failed, I took the mobile office perspective, scanning my phone for work or pleasure. Since I usually stop for my Starbucks between work and home, waiting in line provided an opportunity to reply to work e-mails, checking that task off my to-do list before I arrived home. 

Once I began to look at the line as an opportunity, it bothered me a lot less. And, when I started setting reading goals, it became something I looked forward to.

These days, when I see a line, I see a chance to relax and listen to a book, and a chance for something bigger as well. Starting last month, I set a goal to finish one audiobook and one print or e-book each month. When it comes to reading, I'm a dabbler, excited by the possibilities a new book brings and, while I typically read only one novel at a time, I often have multiple non-fiction books going simultaneously. Last month, frustrated with my seeming inability to finish what I started, I decided it was time to dig in.

In the past month and a half, I've finished three (previously started) e-books -- not bad for someone with a five-minute commute -- and returned to a fourth. I also finished reading a non-fiction book, which is a tougher task as most of the non-fiction books I choose have the meaty material up front. But finishing was the goal, and I selected carefully, choosing books I actually wanted to read (or listen to) all the way through. 

I still don't finish every book I start -- some don't make the cut. But now, thanks to my re-purposed wait time, I worry less about my ability to finish the books I choose. These days, I'm disappointed when the line is short but, at my Starbucks, I'm not disappointed often.

What could be better than a good drink and a good read?