A weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books.
This week's question is:
When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?
This is a fascinating, terrific question! I definitely knew from the time I could read at about 3 that it was something special that I connected to instantly. As a teacher, I reminisce even more about how easy it was for me to read while many children struggle to string words and their meaning together. I can't remember learning how to read but that I always could. It was never a question of cannot but always of can (to paraphrase Yoda).
As for when my passion for reading was understood, it was probably when I was earning my degree in English. Reading sometimes up to 12 books per year per course was challenging and invigorating. I remember bumping into a neighbour while in line for coffee who was earning his business degree and he was flabbergasted at the number of novels I was reading for my courses. He basically said he wouldn't be able to handle that at all. I shrugged and replied that it wasn't ever like work for me (the reading part; the writing of essays sure was!) but was a joy. The day I graduated with that degree was the day I fully realized my passion for reading. And now I have the privilege of spreading that passion to children in an age where reading is not the forefront of one's hobbies or even vaguely general interest.
On another note, I'm very much enjoying my re-read of To Kill a Mockingbird and will probably finish it tonight. It's amazing how much I missed from my first read of it in high school and how much my perspectives have changed, as well as about 10 years of added life experience. I can't wait to review this!
Have a great weekend everyone :)
I read a lot as a kid, then practically none in high school and college. My love for reading was reignited in my late 20s. I am reading or rereading books I should have read in school but didn't. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorites, but I didn't read it until about ten years ago.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for handling all that reading for your degree! I have to say that as much as I love to read, IDK if I could do that. I hate being obligated to read certain books, even if they end up being awesome.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I tell my students the number of books I had to read for my English degree, they're astounded. But I actually miss those days - it was great to do nothing but read all day. Wish that could happen again!
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