For the Love of Reading
My grandmother loved to read. Although reading didn’t come naturally to me, her ability to engage my interest in books, reading, and writing directly impacted who I am today.
Within the first couple weeks of new duty station moves, I have taken my boys searching for the local library within our community. Signing them up with new library cards, showcasing our new library’s features to include programs, events and clubs all send me to a happy place that I look forward to visiting.
Libraries, in general, just allow me to revert back to a place in my childhood where the love of reading was formed. I’d spend a week at my grandparent’s house, where my grandma would grant me the freedom to decide where we went and what special activity we had planned. She’d even allow me to choose what box of cereal we’d eat for breakfast or snack on for the week! What a treat!
Reading across generations..
After the long summer days were near over at bedtime, my precious grandmother would pick a book from her book collection to add to whatever book of choice I picked has checked out from the library and we’d just read. She would read with accents and boisterous voices, animating the words right off of the page. She was the ultimate example of a caregiver fostering and respecting the love of reading. 
As I think back to my own children’s love of reading, it all started when they were little. Too young to read, but not too young or uninterested in being basked with my full attention while sitting in my lap and having a stack of books next to us. All of my boys have been creative and I know that it is because worlds have been introduced to them through books. Only places we could travel through the turn of pages, yet a reality held in their little hands.
Planting the seed of reading..
I’m beyond grateful and appreciative that my Grandma Libby took the time to read to me. It planted a seed that continues to grow as that seed has been nurtured for 45 years, growing and evolving into transforming not only my children’s minds, but replanting the yielding to my future grandchildren, then great-grandchildren … for the love of reading is a gift that continues to grow.
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