Some people would call me crazy or super boring. Some say I am wasting my time. All because once I started reading books for fun, I never stopped.
Ever since I was able to read, I always had a bookshelf that was full of books. Even before that, I was constantly begging my mom to read me a book for the one-hundredth time, before bed. Reading was always a “for fun” activity to me. Most kids love to read until they are introduced to electronics and then forget all about the written adventures waiting for them. That wasn’t me. I stayed faithful to reading, in fact, my love only grew stronger through the years.
I am the type of person that could easily spend all day in a bookstore. It's something about the atmosphere and just being surrounded by thousands of books. It gives me a sense of joy that nothing else does. There are just so many possibilities when you are surrounded by that many books. You could be on an adventure in Brazil one minute and falling in love the next. When you pick up a book and start reading, you are taken to a world that you would never believe. So began my love affair of books.
Reading takes you to a world you never thought would be possible. Take, for example, the "Harry Potter" series. None of us are actually able to attend Hogwarts and be witches and wizards. However, we are still able to experience the magic of castles and dragons. Books open us up to an experience that without them, we wouldn’t have. I have been on adventures with Hermoine and Harry, practiced archery with Katniss and broke the faction system with Tris.
I learned about heartbreak at the tender hands of John Green. I got to experience a true royal love thanks to Nicholas Sparks. I realized how people really effect each other and all about the domino effect thanks to Jodi Picoult. The lessons that you get out of books are endless. Not only are you learning lessons but you are also experiencing things at a distance. Where I may never experience a true domino effect in my life, I felt the pain of one from a safe distance.
When you sit down with a good book you are entering a safe refuge from any sadness or anger. While most of us enjoy the paperback havens full of happy endings, we don’t expect our life to turn out that way. Not all books have the clean cut happy ending, and sometimes we don’t either. Life can be hard and make you feel very alone, but where there is darkness there is light. Regardless of how you are feeling there is a book that will capture your emotion.
Books are meant to be opened, worn and maybe even torn. They are meant to have a dog-eared pages and creased covers. Don’t let books go unopened on bookshelves, or leave them sitting too long on your own desk. Find a book and escape to the beautiful world between its pages. Open it and dive into the adventure that is awaiting you. Start your secret love affair with books.
