"Guilty Pleasures"

I’ve been thinking.  (maybe I’m an owl since “all owls think a lot”*)  There are so many sources for my line of thinking this morning that I couldn’t begin to write them all out and not lose my train of thought.  Let’s just get right to it.  First, the term ‘guilty pleasures’, I see this used a lot in terms of books, music, tv, movies and such.  These are forms of entertainment.  Are they not supposed to be pleasurable?  Everyone has their own tastes, their own ideas of what is fun.  Why should I have to classify a book I enjoy as a ‘guilty pleasure’ simply because someone out there may not find it of value?

Now, I love to learn.  I watch educational television shows, read articles on many topics, but I also enjoy my share of ‘mindless fluff’.  There are plenty of things that in my mind are moronic and I’d rather not waste my time on, but I do like to be entertained.  Once in a while I just need to sing along with Mmm Bop, or the Spice Girls.  Watch the Princess Bride again. 
Read happy joyful stories meant for children.  There should be no shame in this kind of unwinding.  Joy, pleasure, and just pure entertainment should never make us feel guilty. 

I do realize that there is a time and a place for everything.  I’m not gonna belt Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy in the middle of a church service, but I’m also not going to hold back when I’m driving along in my car.  I’m going to turn it up, sing loudly, and remember happy times from my youth. 

In addition to this, I have also decided that I don’t have to read books that “everyone” says I have to.  I am not going to feel bad that I don’t re-read all of my favorite books every year.  There are so many books on my TBR list.  So many.  And did you know?  They keep making more! 

Sometimes you do want to break out an old favorite and read for comfort and the sheer happiness it brings.    My go to books for comfort are The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and multiple picture books.  For the same feeling in audio book form I go to The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo, read by the fabulous Jeremy Irons (HEAVEN) or any of the Harry Potters as read by the wonderful Jim Dale.

*reference to Owl Babies by Martin Waddell….references like this come from a love of children’s stories….no apologies.