I grew up reading anything and everything I could get my hands on. The library and I became great friends, and books as gifts made me feel like the luckiest girl alive.
As I got older I formed opinions - I learned things I did and did not like in a story, I realized there were genres that didn't appeal to me, and in college I learned as an English major you sometimes read
really obscure things.
I don't think I fully appreciated how much of a gift reading is until
I tutored P - and realized how much I take for granted going about my everyday business.
I was checking out at a bookstore earlier today - I'd picked up a couple Christmas gifts - and as the cashier started going into the speech about did I want to become a member, I started to tune him out. But then he asked, "would you like to donate a book to help underprivileged children?" He started talking about price points for books and I was transported back to the library a few years ago, watching P who was pushing 30,
get his first ever library card. When the cashier continued, "every donation helps," I picked up a book from the donation pile and handed it to him. I was fighting back tears, thinking about how much books and reading changed my life, and how some people don't have that opportunity.
Today I am thankful for reading, and all it's done to shape me into who I am.
What are you thankful for today?
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4 comments:
That is a great way to give back. I think that we definitely take our ability to read for granted and forgot that there is a large population of people who do have not that skill.
Today I am thankful for the gorgeous fall weather. I ran this morning and walked to both brunch this morning and church this evening with a light jacket. It felt fabulous! And it's going to be in the 50s all week!! Hooray!!
That's a great program; one I haven't heard of before. I'm thankful that I lived in a family that encouraged reading for as long as I can remember. We were gifted books and poetry and journals and never were told we couldn't go to the library. It was pretty awesome.
I love love love this so much! Books truly can open up new worlds for people!
Totally agree. It's so important for us to remember that things we take for granted - like learning how and knowing how to read - are not things other people have had the privilege of learning/being exposed to. That lesson has hit home hard for me lots in the last few months. I am also very thankful for my ability to read and my love of reading!
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