For the Love of Literature

BY KHADIJA POUNSEL

Winter Wonder

Happy New Experiences! I hope that you are doing well.

2025 has fully settled in and taken a stance..

For many, the early days of the New Year are the festive closing to a season full of merry gatherings and joyful get-togethers. I am usually still in connection-mode myself on New Year’s Day, but I like to start with self-connection first. So traditionally, I begin the day with an activity that delights my heart—decorate, a new bake or a museum jaunt, plus a soft launch of my resolutions before I share good-natured laughs and stories with others over a New Year’s feast. When the celebration wraps and the night settles in, I gladly enter winter-mode: snuggle, connect and rest.

The hope, enthusiasm and determination of a new start with the warm coziness of wintry living are a magical mix. After all, is there anything more soothing than snowfall quiet? Or more romantic? Winter casts its spell and whether bitter cold, strong rains or wind gusts are the backdrop, the weather invites us to connect with others or to our own hearts or to a good book.

In the past, I would have my annual book list ready to go for the 1st of the year. But oddly, for 2025, I have no such list. Perhaps because these night falls look and feel a bit darker, the familiar habit of reading remains gold, but I feel pulled to do something new. So, this year, I am not reading by favorite authors or by titles I have been meaning to read. I do not have titles or authors selected yet. Instead, I have chosen to explore 2 genres: graphic novels and fantasy. I think the impressive artistry within Black graphic novels and the compelling worlds within Afro-futurism will work well during this frosty season. In keeping with self-connection, allowing my reading path to unfold more organically feels right this time. Here goes.

To good reads. Cheers!

Loving literature,

Khadija Pounsel