Too much, too little, enough

I must say I have some of the oddest conversations and I sometimes receive the oddest comments.  Just in this past week I received these different comments from different people.  I put together the comments I received here on the same subject but I did get some odd comments this week on other subjects.  I am not sure why that is, but it seems to happen to me.  The first was:

"Boy, I can tell you really do read too much!"

My first initial reaction to that comment was to stop, frown, look down to check what I was wearing, check the backs of my hands, flip them over and check my palms.  If I had a compact I would have pulled it out and checked my face and hair in the mirror.  How could they tell that?  The conversation wasn't even about reading.  I don't recall mentioning a book or reference any books that I might have read.  Was this comment a good thing or not so good thing?  I'm not really sure.  What did they mean too much or they can tell I really do?!

 

Another comment was:

"I wish I had time to read." 

My first thought about this comment, I admit, was a little defensive.  What did they mean?  Are they saying I have nothing going on in my life so I have all the time in the world to just read?  Did I have no responsibilities unlike them and that I have huge amounts of leisurely time to lay about reading and eating rich chocolates?  I don't know why they don't feel they have time to read but why am I now feeling guilty about carving out the time after my 40 hour job, daily chores like grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, then my writing, running, keeping track of my husbands business accounting, business reports and household bills.  Wait, I wish I had time to read.

 

Then I guess I was trying to recover and told someone else I had not been reading as much as I usually do and I got this comment.

"I guess you'll have to spend less time sleeping."   

Please believe me when I tell you I had not mentioned either of the other two comments when I received this third.  I had merely said I didn't feel like I was reading as much as I normally do.  The comment above was their answer.  Maybe they are right.  Maybe all of them are right and I am the one that just doesn't get it.  That has to be it, don't you think?

I don't know.  I don't know anything really, except I sometimes receive the oddest comments.

TT