Reading has always been an integral part of my world. After receiving my first Dr. Seuss book, Green Eggs and Ham, I vividly remember reciting those magical words over and over again...much to my mother's chagrin. The utter joy those silly little rhymes brought to my four-year-old world was then...and remains even today...indescribable.
As a preteen I constantly whisked myself away to the world of words through a variety of authors...but my personal favorite, Judy Blume, seemed to write just for me. Deenie, Blubber, and Margaret are just a few of Judy's characters who will always remain larger than life in my school girl memories.
Even during high school and college...when reading became an assignment...I actually enjoyed and completed the work without complaint. My favorite courses were always those that incorporated literature into the curriculum. In fact, (I'm embarrassed to admit) I was the geek who actually read and highlighted the boring text books!
Now as an adult, reading is still a priority in my life. It is much more than a habit....it is without question more than an escape...it is undoubtedly pure pleasure. Recently, (as well as in the past) the books I have been drawn to allow me to delve into interesting stories while exploring foreign lands...China, India, Italy and Scotland are a few places I have recently visited in my imagination through the assistance of some gifted authors. The vivid descriptions within these stories about strange and interesting regions resonate deeply within my soul.
Furthermore, these words have further exposed in my heart an unsatisfied yearning that exists for me...a desire for exploration...a thirst for adventure...a want for immersion in another culture and world. These feelings seem to grow only stronger as my children grow older, my financial situation more secure and my desire to make a difference in the world greater...to make some long lasting mark. But for now, until the perfect moment presents itself...I'll just have to keep reading.
“A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.”~Henry David Thoreau
