Reading has always been my one superpower. Maybe that's the wrong word. But you look at some people and go, "Wow, they can Write. They Write so well it should be capitalized." Or maybe it's Math, or Cook, or Teach, or Teach Goldfish to Dance. Whatever it is they are stinking good at it, and it comes as easy as breathing to them. Well, if I were to put my finger on what I do that deserves a capitalization, it would be Read.
I love, love, love books, and they've been pretty essential to my lifelong education. Oftentimes when I'm wrestling with a new idea or feeling way over my head on a subject it's been a book that's helped me figure it out. Go books!
When I read, I'm afraid it's not a neat affair, every word being savored like a gourmet meal. I read more like a starving person eats, fast, messy, enjoying it so much but always hungry for more. And you know what? I wouldn't change it. Because when I read that way the book stops just being words on a page. I'm not thinking about what the author wrote, I'm living in the world he created.
Libraries and bookstores are some of the happiest places in the world. Anyone else get that cozy sigh of happiness just seeing shelf after shelf filled with books? It's a great feeling, knowing with my twenty-odd years of reading I've barely scratched the surface. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go Read.
Oh yes. I know that feeling well, myself. Especially the one about seeing rows and rows of shelved books. Its one of the driving forces behind my desire to get myself published. Not for the money (which most people tell me is not all that great anyway) or the acclaim of pronouncing "I am an author!" - though that *would* be pretty great - its the eventual joy of walking into a bookstore or a library, and seeing *my* book on those beloved shelves, *my* words available for people to read, and *my* name beside those of the great people who were there before me.
ReplyDeleteYou are your grandmother's granddaughter! I cannot read a book that way. I've tried, thinking, "I can read this page in 30 seconds", only to have missed some detail and re-read the page, taking 2 minutes instead! So I am content to be a slow reader, not to miss a word (except the occasional foreign proper noun or technical name) and be glad I have the extra time to read at all.
ReplyDeleteKori - That's a great motivation. I'll admit, my own authorly dreams are more motivated by being able to say, "I'm an author." Of course, my dreams are much more dreams than a goal. I think your driving force is much nobler, and less likely to let you go.
ReplyDeleteMom - Yeah, I certainly got my reading skills from Grandma Nita. I love that. However, I've got a lot of respect for people who do read every word. I think that the book probably sticks more in your brain that way.