Irrevocably a reader
Drew and Matt in 1991, very different minds but both irrevocable readers.
“At one magical instant in your early childhood, the page of a book—that string of confused, alien ciphers—shivered into meaning. Words spoke to you, gave up their secrets; at that moment, whole universes opened. You became, irrevocably, a reader.”
— Alberto Manguel
It’s never to late to have this magical instant happen in your life. It doesn’t matter if you were a poor reader in school. It doesn’t matter if you weren’t the academic star. It doesn’t matter if your present circumstances are limited. Reading can soothe or stimulate your mind, feed your imagination and set you free from isolation, boredom and despair. If you can read these words, you can open the door to visit new universes. What a magnificent gift; an unparalleled opportunity to grow. Go for it!
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- Tagged: books, childhood, children's literature, early childhood education, learning, libraries, literacy, parenting, picture books, reading, stories
Defeat Despair 
I really enjoyed this post. Thank you 🙂
Thanks, I’m so glad you like it, and I really enjoyed visiting your blog. You have some wonderful advice there and I think we are on the same wavelength about handling tough times.
Really glad I found your blog as well!
Julia, good morning as we anticipate a very good week. Right? This is such a good photograph of your little guys reading. It reminds me of the photograph of you with your sister, sharing a story. I so love to walk into a book store. I think it’s the feeling of so many books, so much to explore and just choosing my next “good read”! We stayed over at WillowTree because Bill wanted to wake up here on his birthday. Thank you, Lord! I pray for a new week of many blessings. Your camping buddy, Sheila
I just love bookstores, even the smell of new books is appealing to me. Happy Birthday to Bill!!! Thanks so much for being here!
I must! Thanks for the reminder, Julia. Very lovely picture 🙂
You’re welcome, thanks for your kind words and visits here!
For some reason I am relating this post to Helen Keller…the moment she associated “words” (in her case sign language) with persons, places, things…..water. George calls it the “Helen Keller moment”. Some may call it an epiphany. At any rate, I believe you to be spot on about reading. Anyone who can experience what you are talking about will be a forever reader!….and very well educated.
Carla, I thought of Helen Keller the minute I read that quote. Definitely the same sort of experience for her, I would think, only magnified in its significance. Her story is one of the most amazing in history, I think!
A message near and dear to my heart. I had my tea cup read once by a cute little grey haired lady with piercing blue eyes and the first thing she asked is, “are you a teacher” and I said “sorry, no” and she replied “oh, well I just see lot’s and lot’s of books” and my girlfriend howled because that’s me totally, they’re normally everywhere (well in storage currently). I thought that was an interesting first question and pretty random, so maybe she had some talent.
I’m sure you just looked SUPER intelligent! :-). Seriously, I love having lots and lots of books around, even when I don’t have time to read them. Each one promises a good story or new things to learn, and I feel happy when I’m surrounded by such possibilities! When you get them back out of storage it will be a bit like Christmas.
LOL, as intelligent as two 25 year olds can be getting their Teacups read….Julia you make me laugh.
I almost forget what’s in that storage unit, I’m afraid it probably isn’t worth the amount of money we’ve spent storing it…LOL It was suppose to be a temporary thing. Now almost two years later, yeesh!
That’s the way it is with things in storage. We had to store a lot of stuff while we lived in Hawaii, and we almost didn’t want any of it back when we returned! 🙂 We didn’t store any books, though.
As a book lover and a mom of two boys who are learning to read, I loved this post! It’s such a joy to see my oldest read a line from his Magic Tree House book and get excited and say “what’s going to happen next?” I giggle and tell him to keep reading. Best feeling ever. My youngest is at early stage where he gets proud when he can read a word when we’re out in public. Stop signs, Open or Peets Coffee ;). He’ll point to them and shout them aloud, haha. Love it all! Also, I didn’t get a chance to say but congratulations on your 200th post last week!! What a feat. Keep running the race!
Thanks so much, I appreciate your visits here and your comments! One of the things I loved best about being a children’s librarian was watching how excited they would get over books. It’s really a privilege to be present when those magical doors to enchantment swing open for them.
I wonder if pictures like these will becoming increasingly rare with the Kindles, etc.
There is nothing so cozy and lovely as reading a real book!! I am determined to hold my grandchildren in my lap and read old-fashioned books to them just as I did my kids! 😉
Hopefully there will always be at least a few chances for a cozy story time with a good old-fashioned book. If they do disappear, I imagine they will eventually be re-discovered to great excitement! Thanks for being here.
Julia, What a great shot of your beautiful boys sharing life together, engrossed in a book! I love to read. Walking home from high school, on most days, I would stop at the library. It was Clara Barton that captured my attention in those days. I appreciate how well read you are & how well rounded your base knowledge is.
The comment about youngsters reading signs brings to mind a time when we were traveling. We had been on the road for a few days when our oldest son, Lance, in amazement: said “Frontage road must be the longest road in the world!” He was 3 or 4. We had a good time talking about “frontage roads”.
Yet another way your blog is good for me: happy memories to create a smile!
Mary Ann, that’s funny! Tell him “Main Street” is actually the longest in the world – it runs through every town on the continent! 🙂
Great photo of your sons and their sharing a book! I’m a book lover and taught all four of my children to love books! We love book stores, libraries, any place there’s’ books.~/
When my husband and I retired and down sized to a smaller home…the new home chosen four blocks from locale library!
Hope you and Jeff are having a good day. Blessings…
Thanks Merry! I’ve always dreamed of living within walking distance of library, but thus far I haven’t (unless you count 3 miles as walking distance, which it would be in good weather but I couldn’t carry away my usual big haul of books; it might get heavy after that first mile or so! Thanks for being here.
Reading is a gift and one that no one should take for granted and we must NEVER let it get taken away from us. One of these little guys inspired my Katie to become a reader by reading to her. Love ya.
Thank you Amy! You are probably the biggest reader among all my book-loving friends! I think you’ve read more books than I have.
How true this is! Drew seems to be almost nervous if he realizes he has left home without something to read. He carries a book or magazine with him almost everywhere and has asked what I might like to read while in labor!!! I’m pretty sure I’ll be in no mood to read, but its funny to me that, if he were the one giving birth, he’d like to have something to read as the hours pass….
So happy to be married to a guy that is so happy to be always reading and always learning — makes life more interesting for me!
Yes Megan, I was just sharing with Eric recently that I always carry plenty of reading material with me wherever I go, as a sort of hedge against anxiety (he had asked me if I had enough to read in the hospital). I’m guessing Grady will be a reader since children almost always do what they see their parents do, not necessarily what they say to do. Reading definitely makes life a lot more interesting, as almost everything has a “back story.” Thanks for being here!
I agree with Alberto Manguel, words open up whole universes. I am still on a journey of discovery…
At 56, I feel as if I’m still on that journey too…may we never stop learning and discovering! Thanks for visiting my blog!