Reading books...


How important is reading in my life?

Very. Very important. Reading has not only made me the person that I am or always provided me information I need. Reading has saved me not just once, but so many times in so many ways. Reading is like breathing to me. I cannot live without books. I cannot let a day pass without reading. Reading is as important to me as the sun is to plants and the soul is to the body. So, yes, reading is very important to me. It is my key to survival!

I think I have written about reading and my affair with books a number of times on this blog. I grew up with books around me. My parents both love reading and they've influenced me a great deal to be the kind of reader that I am. Ever since I was a child, reading has always been a huge part of my life, something that has always been automatic in my system. Happy, sad, lonely, excited, angry, confused, lost, problematic, grateful... whatever my state of mind or emotional state is, I read, read and read.

Reading has never failed me. It has always kept me going. I've always been inspired by books whenever I need inspiration the most. With the help of books, I've always realized the best thing to do whenever I'm in a dilemma or in conflict with some people. Books have even taught me how to act and what to do in situations I may have never imagined I would be in. Books have helped me walk through life with grace and courage, with confidence and security. Through books, I've experienced things and I've gone to places I can only imagine and I came to understand people and life in general.

And, now, reading is once again proving its worth and serving its purpose in my life. When my father passed away, I didn't think I could handle the pain nor could I ever get over the loss and the emptiness. I know that I will forever be changed and I will never be the same with him not being around anymore. But, one of the most important gifts he gave me, the love for reading, is keeping me where I'm supposed to be at. It has been, these days, like all other days, keeping me together, helping me deal with the loss and making me see things in a way clearer than I ever thought I could.

I thank God for books. I thank the authors for their writing. I thank my parents for the gift of reading. I thank my teachers for teaching how to read. With reading and all the books that are available for all of us, Alhamdulillah (God be praised), it is such a blessed world! :)

Let me share with you something that I always tell my students in the hope of promoting the love for reading:
"Books are my best friends. They really are the best friends one could have. And, the library or the bookstore is my happy place."

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And, here's a quote that I've always loved:
"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends;
they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors,
and the most patient of teachers."

--Charles W. Eliot
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My library is my ocean!


Comments

cross eyed bear said…
i miss reading for fun. haha. lagi na lang journals and such binabasa ka for my research paper.

looking forward to reading with abandon again. ang mahal ng books dito!

hope your books help you heal. i also lost my dad to the big c. it was a tough time for him and for us. in the end, you can only wish peace for one who suffers. pinarating naman niya agad na masaya siya. :) sana ganun din pakiramdam mo. :)
cheryll said…
i think only Ethan's scent beats that of a brand new book. Hehe. Maka-addict ba.

I can spend hours and hours without getting bored in a book shop. And looking back, I spent most of my high school stipend on books! :)

Hope you're doing well, Roffing.
nessreen said…
:) I love that picture! Saan yan?

I love reading din, kaya lang I get caught up online, so I rarely have time to read books nowadays.

Online reading counts, di ba?
BabyPink said…
Anj, yeah, that's right. Kaysa mag-suffer ang tao, you'd just wish rest and peace na lang. Thanks.:)

Mami Che, nah, ako kay not just my high school stipend, but hangtud karon, most of my money go to books. Hehehe:) Kiss kay Bibi Bradir!:)

Druggie, yeah, online reading counts. The picture? Sa tapat ng bookshelf ko sa bahay. Hehehe:)
bing said…
son Daryl loves to read, too, very much.

i love reading books, too. time is not ample though.
BabyPink said…
Miss Bing, I, too, have a very busy schedule. But, I always make it a point to read whenever I have free time or, say, before I sleep. :)
Tim said…
i badly need to catch-up with my reading. i'll start collecting again probably after the exams. someone actually borrowed my the god of small things and never returned it. hay.
you've been a huge influence on my reading.
BabyPink said…
That's nice to know, Tim. Just keep reading. Remember that reading does for the soul what exercise does to the body. I forgot who said that. Hehehe:)
Mec said…
I can go for days without reading books, but I also really love, love books! They're one of two things I can really spend big bucks on!!!

And I love re-reading good books. It's really like rediscovering a friend. And as gifts, books are really something one gets to enjoy again and again :)

I have yet to benefit from a book exchange though...

(hope you're enjoying the NBS sale... my hubby is already scared about me and the Manila Book Fair!)
BabyPink said…
Hi Mec!:)

Yeah, books are really like friends. And, books are always the best gifts for me as books always make my day.

Sadly, I'm not enjoying the NBS Sale. The nearest NBS from my place is two cities away, that is 2 hours worth of travel. Hay.
Dilip Mutum said…
Wow! Is that your library behind you? I love books but have to restrict myslef because of lack of space in our rented house. Looking forward to the day when I can have my own huge library.
BabyPink said…
Adam, yeah, that's my humble bookshelf. I wish I had more books, too. Hehehe:)

Eid mubarak!

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