"So when can you drive me to the bookstore?" I asked.
"Ummm....." my mom pretended to respond. "Maybe later. Let's do something fun for your birthday!"
Honestly, I don't remember a single thing from that point on in the day. I remember being pretty annoyed that I couldn't spend my birthday how I wanted, which would be curled up in my bedroom with the book.
After dinner, my family brought out a gift for me to open. I unwrapped a small, brown postal box that read "Do not open before July 21." Inside, of course, was "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." FINALLY! My family explained that they had wanted to spend some time with me before I got wrapped up in the book so they made me wait until evening to open it.
Reading has always been an integral part of my life. My parents taught me to love reading since I was born. I think the best thing they could have done though was to be consistent. We tried to read from "The Book of Mormon" every night and that instilled in me a habit and a love of reading. I definitely feel that reading, whether it be Mormon literature, Harry Potter, or anything in between, has changed my life and has made me who I am today.
I like how your parents emphasized both reading and family time. Those are two really important things and sometimes it's hard to balance between the two, especially when you have a really good book waiting for you.
ReplyDeleteI think its great that your parents instilled that habit and love of reading, not just for fiction but for the scriptures too. Now you have something to pass on to your children as well.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to this post. I remember the summer that Book 7 came out--my brother got to read it before I did, and I spent that whole week with my hands on my ears, terrified that people on the street were somehow going to yell out how the book ended.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know more about what literature has changed about your life. Has Harry Potter done anything for you on a spiritual level? Is it the practice of reading that you find important, or is it specific books?
I think that it's more the practice of reading that has changed my life, more so than any specific books. I have always used reading as a way to calm down when I am stressed or upset, kind of an escape valve. That being said, reading all different kinds of books has definitely made me a better person because of the things that I learn from them, whether the characters were good examples or bad.
ReplyDelete