I Quit!: Reasons to take Pine & Elm Bach Flowers

I had a very cathartic experience today I thought I'd share. For the past few days I have been reading a very thick novel that shall remain nameless. It had many good reviews, an interesting subject matter and was one of those "literary works" I felt I should read.  My copy was from the library ,I'm pleased to say, and happened to be in large print but was well over 400 pages. I struggled for over 200 pages, thankful for the large print that allowed me to  feel like I was getting through it quickly. That was also about the point in the book when it started to feel like we were perhaps at least getting in to the subject matter. But I didn't like any of the characters. It wasn't that they weren't well portrayed necessarily- I just didn't like them. The story line was dark and gloomy, nothing was going well,  and there was no way it was going to end well. It was NOT lifting my spirits.

I understand that not all books have happy endings. I appreciate that, in the quest for knowledge and understanding, one has to expose themselves to darker ideas and historical incidents. That's why I kept going to page 258. And then "I QUIT". I closed the book and put in the "to be returned " pile and I won't be able to say I have ever read it. 

Perhaps for some, maybe even most people?, this is not a big deal.  Not me.  I've always felt  (in other words "told") when you started a book you needed to finish it.  I know I'm not totally alone in this. I come from a long line of readers and it was just "what you were supposed to do". Kind of like eating everything on your plate.  It you chose it you are supposed to finish it. Hmm...

Surprisingly nothing bad happened when I decided to quit the book. On the contrary- I felt so much better immediately.  What a relief to let those characters go. In fact, since I didn't read it to the end I can make up my own ending. They will become much nicer and happier, and I think I'll have them move away before the trouble begins. 

I guess it's a sense of guilt that makes me think I have to keep reading something or doing something that isn't making me feel good. If you can't quite break that tie, you might want to consider the Bach flower Pine. Pine is helpful for those that have a sense of guilt or shame that isn't based on any actual wrongdoing.  It's the "good little girl" syndrome for some. Pine can help you accept responsibility realistically.  Put the book down and let someone else enjoy it!

I might also have been in a bit of an "Elm" state while reading the book. Elm is indicated when you are feeling overwhelmed by your workload. No one ever told me I had to read this particular book. I don't think I'll ever have to pass a test about it. (If I do, I'll just pick "C" and bluff my way through it). Much of the sense of responsibility in an Elm state is self imposed. Taking the remedy can help you gain perspective and take only as much as you can cope with.  It helps you pay attention to your own needs. I put the book down and went for a walk. I picked blackberries along the way and the whole world felt brighter.

I won't trash the book, or give it a bad review.  I think it might be the perfect book for other people. Lots of people have proven that they think very differently than I do because it's been a best seller. I think it was quite cathartic for the author and I applaud anyone's ability to put their thoughts out there for others to read. I respect and admire that. I'm not saying it's a bad book. I'm just not going to read it!

So... I quit! I highly recommend the experience at least once in your life!  And by the way, I never eat the peas on my plate either- never!!!