Growing up with a Love of Reading

One of my goals for the upcoming year is to share more of myself with others. I tend to hide behind my glasses, my hair...everything.  However, after having a conversation with a former student (I, the teacher, became the student), I decided that being vulnerable is something I need to work on.  In this case, vulnerability is about being open and willing to go outside my boundaries.  Here is one step in doing this. I'm going to share some information with you. I've had a conversation with a few people about why I love to read and I thought I would share the information with everyone.

Growing up as the child of a retired Marine (Semper fi), my family traveled a lot. We practically traveled every two years.  As soon as began to make friends and create a niche for myself, it was time to move.  The one constant, in all of those moves, (nine moves by the time I was 16) was my books.  

A love of reading was something that my father had fostered in me.  I don't remember reading Dr. Seuss or any easy reader books. What I remember was reading an illustrated Bible from beginning to end and being in awe of the pictures.

I remember listening to my father read a John Saul's, Comes the Blind Fury  and wondering what was going to happen to the family as they dealt with the evil that was in their home.

I remember reading a book of Christmas carols and learning all the songs so that we could sing them Christmas Eve.  

I remember escaping with Mary Poppins as I devoured the entire series and then following that series with Dorothy and her friends down the brick road as they went on their adventures in Oz.

My books were my constant companions and I grew to love reading more and more with every move. Through them, I gained a knowledge of people, history, places and things that I had (yet) to experience; that love of reading followed me into my adulthood.