“Isn’t that what this is all about––finding a way, at the end of the day, to not feel alone in this world, and a way to feel like we’ve changed it before we leave?” This is the quote that struck me during Jaqueline Woodson’s podcast “What Reading Slowly Taught Me About Writing.” Reading to Jaqueline is a way to feel whole and connected with the world. Reading helps people feel that they are not alone and that they have a purpose. This is an especially important message during 2020 when people are limited in exploring and having close relationships with others. Reading is one of the things that can help us get through lockdowns by the stories and characters in every book, keeping us curious, busy, and feeling cared for. This affects me personally because reading has always been a different and sometimes better reality for me. It’s hopeful to me to be able to read a book and feel empowered or not alone.

The reading that came to mind while listening to Jacqueline was “Paradoxes of the American Individualism” by Claude S. Fischer from the sixth blog assignment. This informative text was fascinating to me because of how enlightening it was, not only about how others and society function, but also how myself and my own mind interprets others. Reading about how people, especially Americans, point at the individual as the blame for their own faults was nothing new, but the justification for it was where I was captivated. It made me realize that people should be looking at broader sociological impacts when judging one’s successes and failures. The excerpt was also well-written, and being able to understand everything that was said made me appreciate the message more. It felt like I was being spoken to directly, which I really enjoyed.