I have a confession to make. I chronically dog-ear the pages of my books.

Yes, yes, I know. I'm a monster. And honestly, I don't blame you for hating me. I hate myself a little bit, too. But I'd like at least a moment here to explain myself.

I read a lot. I like owning books and I very rarely will rent a book from the library or borrow a book from a friend because I am in the process of building my library that takes up an entire wall of shelving. So, who am I really hurting during this whole process? If I'm going to borrow your book, I will definitely use some form of bookmark (probably an old receipt or old grocery list, honestly) because I understand that it is not my place to be dog-earing your precious and sacred pieces of art.

But let me tell you why I find dog-earing a lot more useful. Bookmarks and pieces of paper FALL OUT OF BOOKS. Why would you lose your place in a book and potential risk spoiling something because you are reading through pages trying to find which page you were on? Dog-earing means that you will never lose your place! And isn't that just so much more convenient? And what happens if you can't find something to use as a bookmark? When you don't use them, you never have to worry about wasting more paper or having to find some because you can just fold down the page of the book you are on. SO. CONVENIENT.

I also like my books to look a little worn in. What's the point of having books and enjoying them if you are constantly worried about how nice the book looks? Isn't it the inside of the book that matters? The content that gets you swept away that you can't even worry about the dishes you haven't cleaned or the fact that your crush hasn't texted you back in five hours? Why are you caring so much about a small little bend in your paper?

Those small bends in the pages are also so satisfying when you close the book and see how many pages you read during each reading session. You can see the progress you made each time you sat down to read that book and isn't that just so ultimately amazing? Why would you deny yourself of that?

While I'm in the process of confessing, I would like to admit that I also highlight and write in my books as well. By doing this, I can't look back and see the quotes that I thought were important while reading it and be reminded of why I loved the book all over again. I can also see the insights that I had in the margins about a specific part in the book. Let's be honest; you can't get that kind of satisfaction from writing it down in a notebook.

Look, I get it. Having your books look pretty is important to you and honestly, it looks nice and aesthetically pleasing. But can we all just admit that it's a lot more practical to dog-ear your books?