Just Checking

I know a book is a short, easy read when I start and finish the book in the same day AND reading is not the only thing I did that day. That day was today, and the book was “Just Checking: Scenes from the Life of an Obsessive-Compulsive” by Emily Colas.

Written by a woman with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, “Just Checking” is full of stories of how OCD manifested itself in her life and marriage. She has a wonderful sense of humor, and tells these short vignettes in an engaging, entertaining way. I bought the book last month at a used book sale at the Indian Valley Public Library, and since it was bag day and I bought 22 books for two bucks, it basically cost me about 10 cents. The book was enjoyable and even humorous, but given the topic, it was also kind of stressful, so I’m glad it didn’t take me long to read it!

Here are a few sentences that stood out to me that I jotted down as I read:

• “I possess an endless capacity to keep a worry alive.” (pg. 33)
• “When I can’t handle the world, I clean it.” (pg. 89)
• “But the startling realization I made as I was coming to my senses [via medication] was that life’s kind of a drag. There didn’t seem to be much to it. And my rituals had been a nice diversion.” (pg. 138)