Books and me

I’ve mentioned before that I have difficulty in learning how to read when I was young.
Even when I can, I avoided it until much later.
My father, being a teacher....surprisingly, he never forced me.
But he supports and motivates me in his own way....
Our home is never without a fresh store of reading materials.
Reader’s Digest, National Geographic, Times, novels, memoirs, reference books...

I received Rm600 every 6 months as a scholarship when I was in high school...
My father said to spend it wisely.
I remembered that day as clear as much as it was fuzzy...
I remembered browsing through one of the aisle of a bookstore back in my hometown...
with my hands touching books...
I came across one of Montgomery’s Anne chronicles.
It was ‘Anne of the Island’.
It wouldn’t be over-reacting to describe the moment as love at first sight...
Because that was how I felt.

I read and read until I finished the whole book.
Honestly, I didn’t understand 90% of it.
And not once did I referred to the dictionary...I still can’t figure out why...
That was how I became acquainted to the world of books.

Used to take me several weeks to finish a book...
Now just under 4 hours...
I’ve come a long way.

Books allow me to escape my life from time to time...
But not out of dislike...it is a form of wonderment for me.
A travelling trip in a 3-in-1 package.

Even now, I really enjoy reading after coming back from class...
With a hot drink by my side...cuddling a soft cushion...
with the occasional whistling of a wind chime to accompany me by my small window...
I will be in between worlds and at peace and safe.

I bought over 40 books at the Big Bad Wolf book fest....
That was a day to remember in itself...
And while I was browsing the rack for interesting books...
I felt like I saw the younger me smiled from afar....


Big Bad Wolf Book Fest