Many who know me know my deep love for books. I work at a bookstore (albeit very part-time), I am overflowing out of 3 bookshelves, I regularly have about a dozen books lined up on my to-read list on top of the fact that I'm usually reading 5 books simultaneously, and I have who knows even how many books on my permanent repertoire of books I re-read every year.
For as long as I can remember I've been a Reader. English was always my favorite subject in school, starting in grade school up to nearly majoring in English in college until I realized that took all the fun out of it (for me that is, nothing wrong with English majors!) and once in 6th grade I won the student of the month award from the Librarian for being the first 6th grader to check out "Watership Down". One time during college over the Christmas break I tracked the number of pages I had read and reached over 11,000. I take my reading personally too - in second grade I thought I was in the lower reading group because we were the Spinners and they were the Bluebirds and I thought that being able to fly indicated a higher level of reading. I still feel bad that a whole parent-teacher conference evolved from that, although my teacher did assure me I was in the high-level group.
The downside to being a Reader, at least for me, is something I like to call book withdrawal. When I read a book, or a series of books, particularly ones that I read frequently, I sometimes get so into it that when I'm done I mope for a week, mourning the loss of the literary realm. Eventually I do get over it and happily move on to the next book. I guess that sounds like escapism but as a friend reminded me recently, books are a gift from God, and the ability to read and enjoy creative things is too. I don't usually think about books themselves as blessings, I usually give thanks for the ability to read, or having healthy eyes. But when I think of books as little paperback gifts from God, then it appears I have three bookshelves just bursting with blessings, and I am thankful for every single one of them.
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2 comments:
Oh, I love my books too....and I especially love series....but those are the hardest to get over once you're finished. I also struggle w/ ignoring tasks I need to do or people I need to see (Rachel and Ben) when I'm in the midst of a good book;-)
Right there with ya! And Watership Down is one of my very favorites.
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