Today is Read a Book Day. And what is better than reading in one book? Reading in six! I always have several books going at once, since my interests change throughout the week or even during a single day.
Dr Seuss said, “You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”
I discovered the magic within books at a very young age. I learned to read before I ever stepped inside a school. My kindergarten teachers didn’t quite know what to do with me. Reading wasn’t taught until first grade. I have a clear memory of sitting on the floor in the “big kid” library, reading aloud to a group of perplexed adults that included the principal.
I overheard their whispered conversation as they discussed whether I was actually reading or had somehow memorized the story. The principal pulled book after book off the shelves, and invited me to read. At last he shrugged and suggested I be allowed to visit the library every day and have a reading time. I’m grateful that rather than ignore my interest, they catered to it.
My parents had no such confusion about my ability to read. They enrolled me at age five in a book club. Each month a new book arrived, wonderful classics such as Black Beauty, Alice in Wonderland and Big Red. I loved holding that new book in my hands every four weeks, aware that a fresh adventure was about to begin. I still have that set of classic books. They are a little worse for wear, as my sisters and I read through them often and played school and library with them. They still possess magic.
This is my current stack of reading material. No classics there. Instead there is an eclectic mix of fiction and nonfiction, cookbook (if a book full of recipes for raw food can properly be called a cookbook!) and creativity. I’m rereading Anthony’s life changing book, Medical Medium, after purchasing a second copy so that I can loan out my first book.
The Whoniverse feeds my love and knowledge of the Doctor Who fandom and came from the Joplin Library. Dean Koontz is an amazingly complex fiction writer. I’ve read many of his books and introduced his writings to daughter Elissa. That’s her book! And Walking in This World continues to awaken my creativity.
I mentioned I was reading in six books. Although I still prefer the feel of an actual book in my hands, it is convenient to have the Kindle app on my iPhone. If I am waiting somewhere, I can easily read to pass the time. E cubed is a fascinating sequel to E squared, with energy experiments in it that prove how magical the universe really is.
I don’t need an excuse to read, however it is nice to have a day set aside for celebrating the wonder of books. I’ve traveled through time and space, learned about other cultures and countries, and found a way into my deepest heart, all by way of a ticket with B O O K stamped on it.
It is not a surprise that writing naturally flowed from my love of reading. I hope to open up new paths to new adventures for others, as so many authors have done for me.
