I have always been an avid reader.
Some of my most comforting and strongest memories of being a child involve books: curling up on a Saturday morning with a Rupert Bear book from the school library; poring over Scholastic book order forms to choose the best books and the delicious anticipation of waiting for them to arrive; sitting on a chair in the kitchen reading Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.
I still have many of the books I read as a child like Mr. Pudgins, The Bobbsey Twins at the Lakeshore, The Velvet Room and Old Charlie. I look forward to sharing them with my grandchildren one day; I hope they like them as much as I did.
I remain an avid reader to this day; my home is filled with books. In addition to reading actual books, I read eBooks on my Kindle, my iPad, and I’ve even been known to read on my smartphone. I am an incurable and happy bibliophile.
I read because I love the written word; I love the cadence of a finely tuned sentence; I love the fact that words can touch something deep within me and bring me to tears or laughter. Through the written word I can be transported to places I will never have an opportunity to visit; I can learn about people I will never have an opportunity to meet. Words can teach me about another person’s point of view and have the potential to change my mind about an issue.
I write because I love the written word; I enjoy playing with words to make them say what I want them to; I find fulfillment in letting words flow out of me onto paper or a computer screen. Recently I was going through some writing I did many years ago and I came across this from 1983. “Sometimes I hold my feelings in too long and I overflow onto paper.” Not much has changed since then.
I hope one day the words in my memoir will touch something in someone that will make a difference; that is why I write.
By the way my interview with Jennifer Lauck, author of Found, is over at Story Circle Book Reviews. Found touched my emotions, showed me another perspective, and educated me. I hope you will pop over and read the interview; Jennifer has much to teach us about adoption.
Now let me hear from you. Why do you write? Why do you read? What books do you remember from your childhood?
I write a couple of blogs, that’s it. I love to read, though. When you’ve written your memoirs, I look forward to reading them! Reading allows me to be in another person’s world and stay for awhile…
I read the interview – and as you know, it had to touch me since I was adopted by my stepmother. Being taken from your birth mother does affect you even when/if you don’t recognize this – even if it is never addressed within the new family unit. My two brothers and I were never told, or had explained to us, that we may have certain feelings or need to recognize certain things/emotions about ourselves since our mother did give us up.
You know from Tender Graces that I explore this mother-daughter-stepmother thing – and though it is fiction, I am sure I was delving into some things inside my own heart.
I remember Mr. Pudgens…. I actually still have my book…I always looked forward to the scholastic books…and also when my kids got them….they love books also…now little britches….a family tradition…
Dear Linda,
I certainly can relate to your love of reading and writing! I had a great-aunt who nurtured my love of reading by enrollign me in a Book-of-the-Month club and I can remember the excitement of receiving those books in the mail and wondering who would I learn about each month-Marco Polo, Pocohontas,Captain Hook. At some point this love translated into writing as I would write plays to perform in front of my maternal grandmother,Nan, and her friends. You’re taking me down memory lane here!
I enjoyed your indepth interview with Jennifer Lauck as well about her heartwrenching journey through the adoptive process and the importance of “mother love”. It is a very important topic that will touch many people who need it. I’m sure your memoir will do the same.
Write On!
Kathy
I write for my soul. I read for my mind.
I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing. I can remember putting down poetic lines in grade school and enjoying every English class much more than math class! My Father was a wonderful writer and poet and my Sister has a gift for writing….I don’t think I actually have a gift for it, just an enjoyment of it! I’m never without a book…at work on breaks or lunch I’m the one in the corner eating and reading. This blog thing has been fun and I’ve really enjoyed reading others good works, like yours!