Rebecca's Reading Room

Rebecca Budd
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Welcome to my Reading Room where stories dwell and words ignite our imagination. Rebecca’s Reading room is a virtual space that has been set aside for reading and reflection. It is a place where stories and poetry are given voice. I am your host, Rebecca Budd. I look forward to sharing these moments with you

  1. 5D AGO

    The Power of Reading Spaces

    S6 E9:The Power of Reading Spaces A reading room is a designated space in a home or public area specifically designed for reading and quiet contemplation. It typically contains comfortable seating, good lighting, and shelves for books. My definition of a reading room, however, is more expansive. Whenever I have a book in hand, I am in reading room. Taking a few minutes, in a busy day, to read gives me something to hold in my mind and provide a boost to continue on my daily tasks. Moments of literary respite offer a tranquil refuge within the chaotic rhythms of life, nurturing mind and spirit. Whether it is within the confines of a designated reading room or simply by holding a book in hand, the act of reading has the profound ability to rejuvenate and inspire us as we navigate through our daily responsibilities. Creating a personal reading room can provide a peaceful retreat for reading, studying, and relaxing. It can offer a quiet space away from the distractions of everyday life, allowing individuals to focus on reading without interruptions. Reading rooms can serve as a sanctuary for personal reflection, intellectual growth, and the enjoyment of literature. Several years ago, I created a virtual reading room to document my thoughts and discoveries from reading books and poetry. I find that virtual reading rooms can serve as personalized spaces for contemplation and creativity. Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room, my space for literary exploration and creative discourse. beloved books, acclaimed authors, revered poets, and other visionaries of the written word. Welcome!! Location: Victoria British Columbia Music by Johannes Bornlöf "Our Deepest Secrets" Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/QKwU2sehdL/

    2 min

  2. APR 25

    Walking in Nature with Myra Viola Wilds

    S6 E10: Walking in Nature with Myra Viola Wilds Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. I’m Rebecca Budd, and this is a quiet moment from Rebecca’s Reading Room. A poem has a way of returning to us. Not always when we expect it, and never in quite the same way. Several years ago, I recorded this poem by Myra Viola Wilds while walking along a forest path. Recently, it found its way back to me—and I began to hear it differently. Wilds wrote these words after losing her eyesight, following years of work as a dressmaker. And yet, what she offers us is not loss, but clarity—a reminder that our thoughts are something we can shape, tend, and carry with care. If you are able, you might imagine yourself walking… or simply pause for a moment. And listen. Thoughts What kind of thoughts now, do you carry In your travels day by day Are they bright and lofty visions, Or neglected, gone astray? Matters not how great in fancy, Or what deeds of skill you’ve wrought; Man, though high may be his station, Is no better than his thoughts. Catch your thoughts and hold them tightly, Let each one an honor be; Purge them, scourge them, burnish brightly, Then in love set each one free. This poem is in the public domain. Rebecca Music by Johannes Bornlöf “As I Dream” #EpidemicSound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/4cUBo6wPFR/

    3 min

  3. APR 20

    Forgiveness by John Greenleaf Whittier

    S6 E8: Forgiveness by John Greenleaf Whittier Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. Today’s reading is a poem by the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier titled Forgiveness. I recorded this recitation while walking through a cemetery in Bath, England, a place where the quiet presence of history invites us to reflect on our shared human journey. Whittier’s poem reminds us that life is brief, that pride often weighs heavily on the heart, and that forgiveness can arrive in the most unexpected moments. I invite you to listen slowly, and perhaps allow these words to settle where they need to. Rebecca In his poem, Forgiveness, John Greenleaf Whittier shares his experience of having kindness answered with “foul wrong”. Forgiveness by John Greenleaf Whittier My heart was heavy, for its trust had been Abused, its kindness answered with foul wrong; So, turning gloomily from my fellow-men, One summer Sabbath day I strolled among The green mounds of the village burial-place; Where, pondering how all human love and hate Find one sad level; and how, soon or late, Wronged and wrongdoer, each with meekened face, And cold hands folded over a still heart, Pass the green threshold of our common grave, Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart, Awed for myself, and pitying my race, Our common sorrow, like a mighty wave, Swept all my pride away, and trembling I forgave! Who was John Greenleaf Whittier? John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) was an American poet and abolitionist. He was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and grew up in a Quaker family. Whittier’s poetry focused on various themes, including nature, love, and social justice. Whittier gained recognition for his advocacy against slavery. His anti-slavery poems and writings played a significant role in shaping public opinion and raising awareness about the injustices of slavery during the mid-19th century. He was an active supporter of the abolitionist movement and worked closely with prominent activists such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Whittier’s writings and activism made a lasting impact on American literature and the fight for social justice. His commitment to equality and his eloquent verse continue to inspire readers today. St. James Cemetery St James Cemetery, located in Bath, United Kingdom, has a rich history spanning several centuries.  Over the years, St James Cemetery has continued to be a place of remembrance and tranquility. The burial ground offers a serene atmosphere, inviting visitors to explore the paths lined with gravestones that bear witness to the history of Bath and its inhabitants. Photography and Voice by Rebecca Budd Music by Epidemic Sound Gavin Luke “Greater Than You Or I” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/PZ8SYBCM0D/

    3 min

  4. APR 9

    Welcome April with the reading of poetry.

    S6 E7: Welcome April with the reading of poetry. April is National Poetry Month! Spring, with its renewed energy after a Winter’s rest, awakens our hearts to the words of poetic inspiration. Poetry is one of the oldest creative endeavors – an art form that has the benefit of diversity. Haiku, sonnet, spoken word, epic, limerick, ode and so much more. Each generation adds to the collection that has come through the centuries. With poetry, we explore our innermost thoughts, feelings and impulses. We experience the world around us through vivid descriptions and the sound of words reverberating within our souls. Join me as I recite the poem “In April” by Rainer Maria Rilke In April by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) Again the woods are odorous, the lark Lifts on upsoaring wings the heaven gray That hung above the tree-tops, veiled and dark, Where branches bare disclosed the empty day. After long rainy afternoons an hour Comes with its shafts of golden light and flings Them at the windows in a radiant shower, And rain drops beat the panes like timorous wings. Then all is still. The stones are crooned to sleep By the soft sound of rain that slowly dies; And cradled in the branches, hidden deep In each bright bud, a slumbering silence lies. Kergord Woods Amidst Shetland Island’s wild and beautiful scenery, with its deeply indented coasts and enclosed steep hills, stands a solitary forest. Kergord Woods, located in Weisdale, is the only substantial woodland in the Shetland Islands. Planted between 1909 – 1921, the trees thrive, despite harsh winter weather, and invite woodland birds to make their home among their branches. Photography and Recitation by Rebecca Budd Location: Kergord Woods, Shetland Islands Music David Celeste “Life of Devotion” Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/YD13EzNuf5/

    2 min

  5. MAR 31

    Lady Godiva by Alfred Lord Tennyson

    S6 E6: Lady Godiva by Alfred Lord Tennyson - A poetry Recitation Welcome to Rebecca’s Reading Room. Today I am sharing a recitation of “Godiva” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, a poem first published in 1842 among his early works. Tennyson wrote this poem after visiting the town of Coventry in England, where the legend of Lady Godiva had lived for centuries. According to the story, Godiva pleaded with her husband, Earl Leofric, to relieve the heavy taxes placed upon the townspeople. When he mockingly challenged her to ride unclothed through the town, she accepted the impossible task in order to ease their suffering. In Tennyson’s telling, the moment becomes not a spectacle, but an act of quiet moral courage. The townspeople honour her sacrifice by closing their doors and windows, allowing her dignity to remain intact. The text for this reading comes from Project Gutenberg, where Tennyson’s early poems are preserved in the public domain. I hope you enjoy this recitation of “Godiva.” Rebecca Coventry, England Photography and Recitation by Rebecca Budd Music by Epidemic Sound “Affectionate Love” by David Celeste https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/9ccba233-c29a-3980-a75c-bf4d73604a75/

    6 min

  6. MAR 12

    A Garden Meditation - Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

    S6 E5 A Garden Meditation - Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden Welcome to this quiet reflection. Today’s meditation comes from the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, a place where architecture, water, and stone come together to create a space of stillness in the middle of the city. The images and sounds you will experience invite us to slow down, to notice, and to remember that calm attention is something we can cultivate each day. Find a comfortable place to sit or simply listen as you are. Let the music and the garden guide the pace. Rebecca Music by Epidemic Sound “Angelica” by David Edward https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/0b2602e3-79cd-4080-9121-13185a8a0123/ Photography by Rebecca Budd

    5 min

  7. MAR 5

    Dear March - Come In by Emily Dickinson

    S6 E4: Dear March - Come In by Emily Dickinson March brings balance. It strips judgement of its urgency. Once this guest has arrived, trifles fall away. What matters is presence, not verdict. “Dear March—Come in—” reminds us that some moments should not be rushed or improved upon. Some seasons are meant to be welcomed, sat with, listened to. March is not yet bloom, not yet abundance—but it is essential. Without it, nothing else follows. March has come in. The door is closed to haste. And upstairs, there is still so much to tell. Dear March—Come in— How glad I am— I hoped for you before— Put down your Hat— You must have walked— How out of Breath you are— Dear March, how are you, and the Rest— Did you leave Nature well— Oh March, Come right upstairs with me— I have so much to tell— I got your Letter, and the Birds— The Maples never knew that you were coming— I declare - how Red their Faces grew— But March, forgive me— And all those Hills you left for me to Hue— There was no Purple suitable— You took it all with you— Who knocks? That April— Lock the Door— I will not be pursued— He stayed away a Year to call When I am occupied— But trifles look so trivial As soon as you have come That blame is just as dear as Praise And Praise as mere as Blame— Photography & Recitation by Rebecca Budd Location: North Vancouver. Music by Johannes Bornlöf “Serene” Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/tr...

    3 min

  8. FEB 4

    Where Stories Sit Beside Us

    S6 E3: Where Stories Sit Beside Us Welcome. I’m so glad you’ve found your way here. Rebecca’s Reading Room is a place for readers who don’t just read books, but take them somewhere. Into parks. On to benches. Beneath trees. Into moments where the world softens and the page begins to breathe alongside us. A few years ago, I was sitting in a park with a book in my hands, the kind of book that announces itself by weight alone. Thick pages. A scent that only time can give. The sort of book that has been held, opened, and loved long before it ever reached you. I was reading The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. And beside me stood a tree that felt, for that hour, like part of the story itself. Not scenery, but companion. The kind of place where reading doesn’t feel separate from living, but stitched into it. Some of us have special reading places. We return to them. Or we carry them with us. And over time, the book and the setting become inseparable — the story remembered not just by plot, but by light, air, birdsong, and stillness. Today, I’d like to share a moment from that world — from young Robin Hood, from the shooting match, from a story that has travelled centuries to find a quiet afternoon under a tree. And this is what Rebecca’s Reading Room is all about. It’s about taking books out into the world with us. Letting stories sit beside us. Allowing pages to mingle with place, memory, and time. Here, reading isn’t rushed. It isn’t measured or counted. It’s lived. I’m so glad you’re here, and I warmly welcome you to a new season of reading and exploring. Where old books still speak, and quiet moments still matter. Rebecca Music by Epidemic Sound ”Forest Myths” by Deskant https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/4923db4d-b268-369e-87f8-f60bce040a45/

    4 min
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About

Welcome to my Reading Room where stories dwell and words ignite our imagination. Rebecca’s Reading room is a virtual space that has been set aside for reading and reflection. It is a place where stories and poetry are given voice. I am your host, Rebecca Budd. I look forward to sharing these moments with you

Information

  • Creator
    Rebecca Budd
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    81
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Rebecca Budd
  • Show Website
    Rebecca's Reading Room