I remember when I was a kid I hated reading. A teacher in first grade forced me to read some terrible book about a pigeon in New York City by myself. I flipped through the pictures and when she asked me about the book, I pretended I knew what it was about. Needless to say she caught me in my lie and made me read the book for real. I don’t really remember anything else from first grade but I remember that. It must have been pretty traumatic being caught in my own lie as a seven year old.
As I got older things started to change for me. There was one summer where I found the wonderful world of the Babysitters Club. (Yes, I know I’m dating myself here.) My cousin and I became obsessed with the books, and everything that had to do with them. We even started our very own “Babysitters Club” it was a bit ridiculous. Although we had no business being business owners, I did learn my love of reading with these books. You see, I needed to find books that actually interested me in order to enjoy reading, not pigeons in New York City. Crazy, I know.
This has held true for many years. When I sit down and read a book I can completely disappear into that world. It’s a form of escapism that doesn’t cost me a plane ticket and I love it. I have spent hours on end falling in love with characters. As a young adult I learned how good overcomes evil and how different emotions were expressed. As an adult I get to enjoy reading as part of my very own version of self-care. No, I’m not a woman who desires pedicures and shopping sprees. Instead I’m a woman who will drive clear to the other side of the state to see antique book shop.
I’m sure there are studies out there that will tell you how reading is good for cognitive health, reasoning and critical thinking skills so I’m not going to pretend I know anything about all that. Instead I will say this… if you have stumbled upon this blog post and it has been years since you’ve read a book, I challenge you to find one you love. Non-fiction, fiction, short, long, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t like reading then you haven’t found the right book. The worlds that authors create can take you to outer space or a small town in Wisconsin. They can take you on adventures you never imagined and make you fall in love with their heroine. Books are more then entertainment, for many of us books are our lifeline when things are tough. I’m certain we all can agree that 2020 is tough, so no better time then now.
Have you always loved to read? Was it a habit you picked up as an adult?
Happy Reading.
-Nikki Rome