For the Love of Books

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut! By Dr. Seuss

Curled up in a chair or on the bed, I could read for hours. I could also read while walking, at sporting events, and while traveling. It’s probably a better question to ask where I haven’t read versus where I have been caught reading.

My Childhood and Books

For as long as I can remember, I have adored reading. I credit my love of reading, words, stories and language to my parents. My parents are both proudly blue collar workers who have obtained high school degrees, and beyond that, experience and knowledge accredited to various jobs and skill training.

Although they do not hold college degrees, my parents are intelligent, hardworking, and curious learners. All of these attributes they passed to me and my siblings in some form or fashion. But the form most taken was how their nightly reading shaped us.

Our evening routines were never quite solidified, with my mom being a flexible person who was pulled in many directions. We may not have had the rigidity in a schedule like some families; however, we never missed our nightly story time. Even as I type these words, I smile thinking of those precious moments spent with each other and books.

Books and reading material did we have! My mom frequently took us to libraries and book stores. She fed our love for the written word in every imaginable way. We had magazine subscriptions for Ranger Rick, Disney Adventures and Highlights. Receiving those in the mail was such a delight! We were frequently encouraged to even write our own stories.

Making reading time even more magical, my dad was a master of voices. Changing his intonation to match the characters was his gift. There are books I still vividly remember, all because my parents made the experience memorable. Effort and time was spent developing our love of reading, and I’m forever grateful for this piece in my personal history.

In childhood, my favorite author (and still as an adult with my own children) was and is Steven Kellogg. His illustrations are so detailed, yet whimsical. The stories he wrote are funny, heartfelt, and silly. Several of his books feature a dog named Pinkerton, which is based on a real-life dog he had. My children adore these books as I did, making my heart oh-so-happy.

As I got older, I adored the Baby-Sittter’s Club chapter books and Goosebumps books. Which, who didn’t love as a kid in the 90s? Each new unit in school brought along the intriguing possibility of a new book! Greek Mythology in the sixth grade was a whole new world of fantasy for me. I was enamored with the mythological creatures, and my creative brain would dream up my own.

Me and Reading Today

To this day, I am a lover of reading, and books in general. If you know one of those people who could buy a new book every day, and continue growing a shelf of books by the hundreds, consider me one. Everything about a book is lovely to me: the smell, the feel of it in my hands, the places it can take you, and the influence it can have. So much so that I dare to say I am where I am today because of my love for books and of reading.

For some people, growing out of their love of reading happens. Their life gets busier and more complex, and as a result, reading takes a backseat to everything else seemingly more important. Me? The ditching-of-the-reading thing has not happened. I am certain it never will. Being able to immerse myself in a plot, learn more about a particular subject, or simply grow myself is too near and dear to my heart to ever take a back seat.

Books have gotten me through many challenging seasons of life. Along with my parents’ divorce, came a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. Reading a book gave me the mental break from constant worrying, and helped me transport my mind to a place of joy and thrill. When I was single and searching in my mid twenties, books became an even better friend and kept my mind occupied and focused.

Entering into the new stage of parenthood is an entirely different challenging phase. The lack of sleep, stress of the unknown, and general fear of doing something wrong was all-consuming. So how did I cope? I read. Reading books to my babies became a ritual. After nursing, before bedtime, when they awoke…all times I would read to them. And wouldn’t you know it, we’ve repeated the beautiful cycle of reading to our children, who are now lovers of books and reading too.

What’s Reading to You?

Do books call to you as they do to me? Or are you someone who would rather be watching t.v., working, or playing sports? Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy these things as well. You do not have to choose between reading and other hobbies and interest. But especially if you have children, reading can create positive habits that transfer to them. When they see you reading, they mimic it.

Have you ever noticed how children do what we do? If we want them to grow up as healthy, independent humans who are curious and bright learners, read to them! Read in front of them. Make it an irreplaceable habit. During our dating time, my husband’s father made the observation of how much I love to read. He said he noticed it when we were out and about as I read everything around me, and when we gathered as family and I brought my book. Reading is noticeable, and a privilege.

Speaking of privilege, I am aware that illiteracy still exists. I am all too familiar with generational illiteracy, lack of exposure to reading and books, and stigmas with readers in general. Before my days of business owning, I was a middle school language arts teacher. I adored teaching reading. It’s not lost on me that being able to read well is a gift. There are people who cannot read well, or cannot read at all. Thankfully, there are so many more ways to become a reader nowadays.

Listening to a book, using an app, or being a part of the hundreds of literacy programs are all ways to learn more and enjoy reading in a different form. If you are someone who knows someone like this, do them a favor. Help them or someone in their life make reading a priority! You don’t have to be a reading teacher to do so.

Final Thoughts

Do I have permission to encourage you a little more? Make some goals for reading in your life. Especially if you have the ability, reading should and can have a role in your life. It’s not just about you. When we all learn more, we do more. When we do more to make the world a better place, everyone benefits. More reading can help you learn much, grow more, and become a better version of yourself. Find your niche in the world of literature. Do you lean more towards fiction or non-fiction? Autobiographies or novel series? Magazines or comics? The possibilities are truly endless.

Even as an avid reader, I gravitate to a handful of genres depending on my phase of life. Right now, I read a lot of cook books, fantasy novels, Christian-based literature, and my Bible. Over the summer, I reread The Hunger Games and the Twilight series. Seemingly pre-teenish of me, I know. But I have no shame, and mad respect for writers and publishers of all kinds! Fantasy might be my favorite genre, if I had to pinpoint only one. My kids love a plethora of literature, including graphic comics, chapter books for their age, and they still love children’s picture books.

As for other ways to incorporate reading more steadily into your daily life, have literature as a part of your surroundings. Whether it’s a few magazines on your coffee table, newspaper on your counter, cook books in your kitchen, or books throughout your home, you can essentially “decorate” your home with literature. This way, you can encourage those who enter your home (or those who live in your home) to be more open with reading as a part of life.

Like the quote from the Dr. Seuss book above, you can go more places in life. I firmly believe you can. The Everything’s Albright mission is to inspire people to achieve their fullest potential by giving them actionable plans and resources to live a healthy life: mentally, physically, and spiritually. With reading, I know you can do just as the mission states. Grow yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. So find your literature niche, and a place to curl up with something to read. And like a good book, I promise you won’t be disappointed.