I’d like to think of myself as a self-starter. Growing up, I tried to spend time doing solely what I wanted to do– which, granted, did not always work out in my favor. Yet, this especially rings true in my reading journey. I can recall eagerly picking up one of my sister’s hand-me-down picture books at the age of 4 and attempting to recite its contents, despite my utter lack of phonic skills. I think it got to the point where I simply made up the story and flipped the pages accordingly to fool my audience into believing I was reading. However, due to my desire to cling to my self-sufficiency, I found myself resisting my dad’s well-meaning help to decipher the words on the page. It wasn’t until I finally gave in that I opened a realm of possibility that I have treasured ever since.
Once I had conquered the works of Dr. Suess, I transitioned into shorter chapter books, mostly in the fantasy genre. I was pleased to discover that I was ahead of my peers at the time, who did not share the same voracity for literary as me.
Reading, to me, was so transformative as I was able to dive into the worlds of characters and be distracted and entertained for hours on end. Unlike a typical elementary schooler, I found my evenings occupied with family reading sessions that I had organized, rather watching the latest “Disney Channel” episode.
However, I didn’t fully realize my fondness for reading until I was about 7-years-old, when I became enamored with the world of Narnia, and more specifically, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I have a vivid memory of being unable to put that book down, especially within the last 100 pages, which I had read in one sitting. That novel truly opened my eyes to my love for reading, so I definitely owe a lot to C.S. Lewis!
By the time I was 8, I would read to either one of my parents before going to bed. Yes, you heard that right, I would read to my parents. I suppose it was my fierce yearning for independence, yet again, but I strongly opposed being read to as it eliminated the opportunity for me to do what I love. Over the course of months I devoured The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, with many mispronunciations of the word “colonel” along the way. I think that making reading a habit like that definitely furthered my appreciation for it, as I made it a point to not to let a day go by where I didn’t read. That principle has definitely translated into my life now as, for years, I have spent at least 10 to 15 minutes reading before bed.
However, once reading became the paradigm for the rest of my grade, I found myself weighed down with endless assignments targeted toward increasing students’ book consumption. Yet, this did not bode well alongside my aforementioned relentless independence. From reading logs to “Reading Counts!”, I felt my eagerness toward reading fade into the background. Sure, the portion of class reserved for silent reading was one of the highlights of my school day, but not even that could cure the reading slump I had fallen into due to the creation of reading as a chore.
Every so often I face the seemingly endless void of a reading slump, but I find that returning to some of my favorite stories, or even something that is new but captivating, reminds me of my love for reading. Twice, my saving grace has been the Harry Potter series, whose immersive world has reminded me of the magic and comfort of reading, but other times I could fall upon a novel by chance and it will return my insatiable infatuation with literature.
To this day, reading is one of my favorite pastimes. The “perfect” day for me involves at least a portion of time spent strolling through the shelves of a used bookstore or curled up on the couch immersed in whichever novel I’m reading at the time. I love the infinite possibilities created through literature, the way the rest of the world and its problems melt away within the pages of a book. As well as this, I truly enjoy soaking in each word as it provides endless inspiration for my passion: writing. Truly, I believe my life would be different without this outlet to turn to, so I am eternally grateful that from my humble beginnings emerged this long lasting love.
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