One of my favorite things to do is read. I've been reading for as long as I can remember. When I was little I would have much rather gone to the library than the mall. The smell of a new book will forever be intoxicating to me. My mom would read to be when I was still in her tummy and then every day after I was born. She read to my brother in the same way too. He loves reading just as much as me. He isn't a nerd like I am, but one in his own sense of the word. He has read almost every military and history book in existence I think. My dad and I are always talking about the books we are reading because we have read all the same things. I remember when I moved from Tennessee to California and my dad went with me, well I guess it was probably more like me with him since he did almost all of the driving. In my defense I'm really not that good of a driver anyway. I downloaded an audiobook, "The Lincoln Lawyer" I think. We started listening to it with my iPhone connected to the car stereo as soon as we left the house in Tennessee. I remember the first night never wanting to stop driving because I wanted to keep going and hear more of the story. It was something fun we could talk about. When the movie came out I loved it despite the acting because it reminded me of driving across the country, just me and my dad. I of course have that movie on Blu ray already. Books connect us all to the world around us and connect us through time. Although the Internet is amazing in its capabilities and evolution the printed word still has not gone out of style. I still go to Barnes & Noble once a week even though I have a brand new Nook I use. They seem to be doing pretty well. The written word was mankinds first developed way of communication and documentation. Books range from one end of the universe to the other and everything in between. There is a book for everyone and on everything. I grew up being taught the importance of reading and developed my sense of wonder and learning by delving into books of all kinds since I was little. In middle school all I would read were Star Wars novels, one of the reasons I started again, and I read just about every one in the library. Except the X-Wing series, I never did like that one so much. Then came Harry Potter and The Golden Compass and every other big book of my time. I read every book by Michael Crichton in sixth grade. I was reading adult novels in middle school, dragging them everywhere with me, even church. My book was my bible. I remember being told that I couldn't bring secular books on the bus during our cross country missions trip. Screw that, you better bet I brought one anyway and read the whole damn thing. This while listening to my favorite non-Christian musicians on my portable CD player. I've never let anyone tell me anything at all without checking first to make sure they were saying the truth. I didn't believe anything on face value. I pride myself in that. Our break out sessions on Sunday mornings in our youth group became another place for me to debate, asking questions that couldn't possibly be answered by religion and using logic that only the teacher got most of the time. Books have gotten me to where I am. They have taught me so much, including discipline and hard work. I hope someday to contribute to our rich literary world, until then and probably still after I continue to put pen to the keyboard and let everything bleed out.
A favorite book or one that has emotionally or intellectually challenged you will always be a part of you and the person you have grown to become. I could write for days about all of my favorite books and why they mean so much to me. I won't though, don't worry. But I want to challenge you. Not only is reading fun and exciting but it also helps us develop our critical thinking skills and imagination. Find something to read, even if it's something small and silly. I recently got the anniversary edition of "Where The Sidewalk Ends" at Target and read it in a few days on my breaks. It was so unbelievably silly and goofy but I loved every second. It made me laugh and smile and took me back to a childhood I long for. If you didn't read as a kid then find something now that interests you. Start small with things like newspapers and magazines. There are legitimate online sources of information and it's right at our fingertips. Again, as I keep saying, we must only reach out and take a hold of it for ourselves. If you really can't stand reading something try a comic book or graphic novel. Try a coffee table edition on something that interests you. Try reading the first Harrt Potter book. The possibilities and choices are limited only by your imagination.
If you are really stuck find a Barnes & Noble nearby and just go walk around. Get a regular cup of coffee and just stroll around for at least thirty minutes. See what happens. See what you find. Start a book, read something. Give yourself the knowledge, courage and hope you need to keep going. Talk to your friends. Read books together. Join a book club at the local library or one online. Read a book with your partner or best friend or even your mom and dad. Read a book before you go see its screen adaptation in theaters. There's nothing wrong with television and movies, I am after all a huge proponent of quality electronic media, but they leave nothing up to the imagination. Reading a story gives you the same plot line but let's you construct the reality for yourself instead of being told what to believe. Open your mind, open your eyes. Over the weekend I got the chance to go stroll through my favorite bookstore. It's a small used book store in Burbank. There are stacks and piles of books everywhere and up to the ceiling. Probably forty percent of the floor is covered in even more stacks of books. It was truly heaven. Finding books from my childhood and the books I've read growing up to this point. It made my heart ache and warm at the same time. Being there with a loved one made the exploring that much more fun and intimate. Find a used book store around you, the books are always cheaper anyway while still being in good shape. Find some silly books, find some you remember reading and some that look interesting. Bring ten bucks, see why you can find. I dare you. Tell me why you get. What are you reading? What do you think about it? Who's your favorite character? Why? Which character feels more like you?
Be inspired, share the joy. Read, dream, hope, live.
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