I know sometimes people will wonder why someone reads so much? I tend to read more when I would like to think about something else, but why do I read? It is a $100 question!!! <p> When I was 5 years old, I remember the moment I learned to read. I do not know if everyone has a "moment" but I did! I remember my teacher trying to explain things to me and then she handed me a book about a frog I think, and I read it. I felt like my world opened to me! By the time I was 6 years old, I remember being given an oral reading test and reading up to 5th grade level. I remember being embarrassed over the fuss they made and stopped reading. Life was no longer just what I saw, I could see all over the world, I could live all over the world through other people and learn their lessons so I did not have to learn them myself. <p> My mom struggled to keep up with me and my reading habit. But some of my fondest memories are being curled up on the couch, just me and my mom, as she read me the "Love comes Softly" series by Janette Oke. She read to me other series too and I read everything she bought for me! <p> then one day heaven opened up and I found out about libraries and used bookstores! Every weekend in Seattle we could, we would go to used old bookstores and spend hours and hours! It was so nice!! <p> When I was 10, I remember we started spending alot of time at the library. However, mom told me fiction books were bad and I remember wondering curiously how that was since Pilgrim’s Progress was over there. Since we read other fiction at home, I think it was just mom’s way of trying to keep ahead of me! I think I read every young adult biography that library had! We again, would sit around and mom read about J.C Penny and we learned how to quilt and we folded clothes. <p> So, why do I read? Some of my fondest childhood memories are related to reading. It is not just the reading, to me, it meant my mom loved me, she was there for me and she cared enough to want to know what I was reading. Even later when I read my own books, she carefully taught me how to look for good books and put down ones with content I did not think was good. Those lessons were invaluable! When I was about 12, she pretty much let me make my own decisions about reading and I read some of my favorites like "Nearby" by Elizabeth Yates, "The Singing Boones" and "The Beany Malone series". They were companions to me that are as real as my friends I grew up with. <p>
I know many people do not like fiction books, and I know there is alot of bad stuff out there. But for me, when I read a true story, it is true. There is no black and white about it. If the person had a bad life, they just did. In a fiction story, often I can decide that it is not a real person, their lesson they learned was only for the story and helping me learn, I can relate to their problem and take away from it. <p> I know many people speak about romance in books and how horrible it is. I know for many people it may be, but I have learned so much from it. There are the sappy, cheesy, romantic books, but I love a story with romance in it that is real life romance. I think if we all had to live without any love in the world, we would be a sad place. <p> If anyone knows me well, they know I am not a cheesy, romantic type of girl….this is someone who got frustrated with Anne Shirley…… I am very practical, no-nonsense type of person who likes to be in control of my emotions. So, for me, it gives me hope that maybe in this world where so many things are wrong, that out there, somewhere there are people who do love in spite of bad things. They live through hard things and love each other. <p> These are just some of the reasons I read! I thank God for good authors who work hard to supply us with good reading material. I wish more people would take the time to drop them an encouraging line sometimes. Or if they are not writing the type of books you want, let them know what you want!