On Reading

One of the resolutions I made for this year is to read again.

It’s probably the biggest passion I’ve had ever since I was a child. I would spend my after-school hours in the school library, instead of going home and watching movies or playing games like most children my age did then. I would check out the maximum amount of books I could, and since I was a favorite of the librarian, got to check out five more than normally allowed for an elementary student (an advantage I abused way too much). I won two award certificates – one in elementary school, and again in middle school for being the student who read the most books on campus (something I pride myself in till this day). I would tell my parents goodnight at a decent hour and head to bed but sneak in a book under the covers of my blanket. With the bedside lamp turned on and the sound of the cool air whooshing into the room from the A/C, countless hours of sleep would be sacrificed devouring each and every word a book had to offer me.

Sometimes I wanted to know more about the characters. Sometimes I just wanted to tag along on the journey of when the protagonist explored a new land or planet. I wanted to get away from the mundane life I believed I had and immerse myself in a universe with limitless opportunities.

All I ever wanted to do was to read.