Why I
D
o you have a childhood memory that you feel is so strong that whenever you go back to it nothing can get you down, and it’s like your own personal happy place? Well, if you can imagine that’s how I feel about reading books I enjoy for recreational purposes. That’s because it reminds me of my childhood and my mother. When I was younger, and my mom read stories to my sisters and I, she put every emotion into reading to us, it was like I had her full attention and nothing could interfere, it created a world around just her and I, (and sometimes my sisters). After my mother read to us, we went to bed next to her feeling warm and safe from anything that could happen and forgetting the day’s trouble. It might not sound that big a deal to have a mom to rest next to, or to having her full attention, but for me it was important because she was always busy working hard to provide for us, or helping to take care of others because of her generous nature. So for me, story time was the only time it felt like she was all mine, and there were no
Books
distractions and certainly no work around. This is what started my love of reading and why I use it to relax. However, what made that love continue was the happy memories yet to come. One such memory would be trying to teach my younger siblings how to read, while sharing the stories I once loved as a child. Another, is when I entered the awkward years of middle school and my mom remarried. I got a lot of new step siblings to live with. Luckily, the transition was made easier because my step brother liked reading as much as I did and introduced me to a whole new world of books called manga (Japanese comic books in black and white with long story lines).Due to these books I made some really cool friends who love books as much as me, especially manga, and I was introduced to a whole new world and culture. The more I read the more I find myself meeting new people and building on the happy memories of my life. Reading books helps me to relax and clear my mind as long as it’s something I choose to read. It stimulates my mind by exciting
my imagination and taking me to another place. Though not all the books I read for fun are strictly for my imagination, I also like to read books where I learn something interesting like cooking, history, language, insight into the human mind and soul, and even sometimes politics. I love writing styles and how words are used to bring about emotion and imagery. I think if someone asked what my favorite type of book is I wouldn’t give a genre, but would respond that I love books that make you feel emotions and the authors view. I’ve read at least 50 books that could bring me to tears, over a hundred that made me smile, and plenty that take me on an emotional rollercoaster. If you can’t connect just yet to my love of books, I have to say, for me they are like that song you can never forget, that day where everything feels perfect and you just want to enjoy every minute of it, hoping it’ll never end but knowing it’s great because it does, and you anticipate tomorrow just because.
By: Imanullah Ahmed