"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." - George R.R. Martin
Let me start by saying that I am a bookworm through and through. I love to open a book and get lost in the pages. Will I read an eBook? Sure. But it's curling up in bed with an actual book that I truly enjoy.
I've been asked many times in my life why I enjoy reading so much. People, especially ones in my age group, don't understand how someone can sit down for hours on end and get lost in a book. Often finishing a whole book in one sitting. That's how I am, anyway. My mom will often remind me that when I was younger, it was hard to find books long enough for me. I was the odd bookworm who would sit in my room all day because I was so immersed in the storyline. It is true that people who read will live a thousand lives in just one lifetime. Not only are we living our own life, but when we open a book we live through what the character is living. For however long it takes to read the book, we live the character's life.
I always felt comfortable with books. Not that I didn't enjoy playing sports and such, but reading has always given me the opportunity to just relax and forget about everything except what is happening between the front and back cover. Books take us to worlds that aren't our own.
From the time I was young, I have always enjoyed books. I have always read higher than my age level, even in elementary school. There weren't many children's books that could hold my attention. The few that could usually included horses. Even those books would begin to bore me after I realized how quickly I was reading through them.
It was at this time that I really developed a love of classic books such as Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, etc. It was probably for this reason that one of my favorite subjects was and always will be literature. Literature presented a challenge. I couldn't just read the story, I had to really comprehend what I was reading so that I didn't make a fool out of myself in class discussions.
Books also keep us guessing. Unless you want to SparkNote the book, then you will find yourself trying to solve the book's mysteries as you read. Many times I have found myself going over theories about a book and what could possibly happen before I have even finished the first chapter. Who wouldn't enjoy that?
Next time you find yourself bored, go pick up a book. Find yourself a quiet place to sit down, get a cup of tea or coffee, and immerse yourself in the world of the book you have chosen.
