Slice of Life: Slowing Down the Train!

Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" 

to the Tuesday Slice of Life (SOL) community.

Thanks to Stacey, Betsy, Beth, Kathleen, Deb, Melanie, and Lanny

 for hosting this meeting place each Tuesday and nurturing our writing lives.

Do you ever find yourself deliberately slowing down as you come to the end of a book?  There's something about having to say goodbye to characters I've grown to love that is bittersweet.  Sunday morning was one of those times.  I had enough time to finish Train I Ride by Paul Mosier before church, but I wanted to prolong this train ride.  I also wanted to capture some of the things I love about the book before reaching an ending that I might or might not like.  

So I tucked the book and my writer's notebook into my church bag. Here are my quickly scribbled thoughts about why I love this book (penned before church started).  

I must give credit for being inspired by one of Michelle Haseltine's students.  Michelle shared a page from a student's notebook about reasons she loved their recent read aloud, Come With Me.  Her list inspired me to create a similar list for Train I Ride.  And I quickly showed the book to two friends before church started.  I adore spreading book love!  

And then after church, I curled up in bed and luxuriated in the final pages of Train I Ride.  I like to think that the leisurely pace was matched by the slow pace of the train as it neared Chicago.  And I was not disappointed as I reached the final page!