All the way back to my earliest memories I remember reading. I have been ever since. Hopefully, I won’t stop until I stop breathing. Sure all kids have adults of some kind read to them at various points during their formative years. We need to, don’t we? Whether to impart information or to provide entertainment/distraction to an unsettled mind; a book can be a wonderful key, a mental pacifier to bring some order and peace to the chaos of child. But it is those special children that seek out to read all on their own. Yes, I was one of those kids! One of my earliest, and fondest, memories is being given a box of Star Trek paperbacks from my dad when I was around seven or eight. Most of the books were his; others I think were given to him by friends, etc. This was how the addiction began in earnest. He hoped I’d be interested because it’s Star Trek, not so much that he wanted to turn me into a “bookworm.” This was something more to keep me occupied and out of my parents’ way during the long summer. That was alright with me, this was a win-win scenario. Not only did search through them to find stories of interest but I actually chose to read these books rather than doing other activities presented to me. That’s the thing, choice. I made a choice to keep reading and expanding my mind and improving myself. From a handful of Star Trek books? You bet! I firmly believe it doesn’t matter what you read, as long as you read. It’s even better if it’s a story that stokes the fires of your imagination, through which all is possible (or I’d like to hope so). Neil Gaiman (my favorite living author) wrote of such things in a recent article for the Guardian. He mentions that imagination and reading are so vital to our survival.
Here’s the link for you to readhttp://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming
However, that isn’t the main theme. He goes on to tell how necessary libraries are to human civilization. Oh how true! Oh how wonderfully elemental! Of course, he writes it all in such a magnificent way. So rather than merely echo his thoughts, which I agree with 100%, even though I didn’t know it yet, I will tell my story of how important libraries are to me.
They are like the temples of old; a sanctuary with priests to guide you through the tomes of knowledge and a hub for the community. This was never more true for me than when I was at my most vulnerable, most awkward; as a teenager! During middle school & high school I found any excuse I could to seek refuge from bullies or anyone who might hassle me. Why not expand my mind while I'm there? However, I usually had to charm my way in with the ever patient librarians. I suspect now that it was less my charm and more about their susceptibility to my utter pitiable existence. Regardless, I thank them for allowing in outside normally accepted times and for attempting to answer whatever imagination fueled, mental tangent line of questions I threw at them.
I would not be the person I am today if not for the books and the libraries I became both and found within. The multiverse of worlds I found within books, guided by those Dewey decimal shamans, are always with me.
