For the Love of Reading

Often I think of things I did as a kid during the summer. Some are individual events like the first time I got to fly - by airplane of course, I didn't try to jump off the roof with homemade wings. I remember other trips we made by car to see relatives and explore new places. And there are the rituals, going for ice cream after my parents closed their business on a hot evening, riding my bike, laying in the hammock that Daddy hated because it was always in his way of mowing grass, but I loved because I could watch the cloud patterns. I loved visiting my grandparents. I remember, barely, watching the moon landing on my grandfather's black and white TV.

Some are fond memories of one time events and some are rituals. One constant was reading. While I got to read or had to read for school all year long, I got to read for myself in the summer. I remember my first Judy Blume books - boy, were there some eye openers there! I remember slowly devouring Judith Krantz's Scruples when I was in high school - more eye openers and still a favorite book. There were a lot tamer things too. I was hooked on Nancy Drew and collected and read all 56 books published in hard back. My grandmother would read them as well.

I still read for pleasure. My husband and I are avid visitors of our county library. One of us is in there every week exchanging books. These last few weeks, I've been 'laid up' a bit with an injury and have spent a lot of time in the house. My books have been my friends as always.

Today I clicked on a link from blogger to a featured blog and found the bloggers Shelfari list. Shelfari is apparently a site that lets you store a list of books you are reading, have read, are planning to read, and share that love of books with others. You can also add a widget to your blog with your 'bookshelf.' My bookshelf is on the right below my bio.

The book on top "A Goodbye Summer" is one I just finished along with A Whole New Mind - a non-fiction about how our society is moving from the information age to the conceptual age where right brain thinkers are more valued. Take heart. We left brained people have value especially those of us who exercise our creativity regularly!

Also included on my shelf are a lot of books I've read in past years but are favorites. Some are just one example of an author I love - like Mary Kay Andrews and Jane Green. I'm not into a lot of heavy stuff. I guess they call most of this "chick lit." Whatever, it is entertaining to me and I always learn something usually about people and relationships.

Being a reader means you are never alone, lonely or bored. While I love technology, I hope we never get so advanced that we stop printing novels and binding them up to hold in our hands and fill our hearts and our minds with pleasure.