The funny thing is, I was talking with this very sweet woman who goes to our parish. She comes every week in her head covering, dressed very conservatively, and she is extremely "into" the liturgy. She's faithful as heck. She is a former matushka (priest's wife) from an Old Believer's church, but her husband the priest died years back and she is now mainstream Orthodox. She is very dignified, bright, speaks very well, knows her Orthodoxy, and is extremely knowledgable. However.....
She told me two weeks ago how she almost NEVER READS! I told her, "I feel in the Orthodox Church like there is this intense pressure to be reading something all the time! Read! Read! Read! So what are you reading right now anyway?" At our parish, we see so many people who never stop reading Orthodox stuff.
She told me that she NEVER reads! She said she has this vast library of Orthodox literature, theological books, biographies, and very old prayer books, etc. She says she listens to the divine liturgy in the car and that teaches her more than anything. She told me she's past the need to be reading something all the time.
I felt liberated to hear that! Because since I'm a teacher I'm reading CONSTANTLY! I then come home and have to help me kids with their homework. I rarely sit down. Then when the kids are gone to bed, Kate's at the hospital, I just want to vegetate! LOL
I was a voracious reader in my youth...hence my glasses. I wore my eyes out. Now I'm just too exhausted and spent intellectually to even concentrate. Sad or what?
