I just know I picked a favorite for the R word - Read. Coming from a family of avid readers, I am thrilled you have the bookworm bug too!
One of my favorite soul smile moments is how, when you were about six months old and could sit steadily, you would play with that large tin of Johnsons baby powder - the one with the nursery rhymes on it. We would read what was written on it - and you would place your finger on each word with a "tha dhi dha dha dha". What amazed us, sometime later, is that you would associate the sound of the word with the actual word. Who knew we were raising a reader then!
I am thrilled that even today, books are still your first love. As I write this, I am thinking of all your wish lists of books. Remember how we dangled the prize of a book you wanted when we wanted you to do something? I believe some people are unkind enough to call it bribing, but what the heck. I consider it some very clever incentive.
A visit to a book store was and is our favorite family outing. The minute we entered our favorite store, you would head to the children's section while your Grandma went to fiction to find a Perry Mason so she could comfortably settle down in one of those cozy chairs and perhaps finish the book. Daddy would be everywhere after he checked out some books quickly, while I checked out everything in the shop systematically. After all, I wanted to make the most of the trip and finish the stationery shopping too! We'd have such a tough time getting you out of the store! Three hours later, we would return home, happy and quite content with a heavy bag, anticipating several more hours of reading joy.
In a very real sense, people who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read. ~ S.I. Hayakawa
Now I am laughing at the memories of the two of us trekking to the railway station to Gita Press a couple of years ago to bring back those cartons of books we ordered!
It is a pleasant sight for me to see you steadily taking over the bookshelves at home. What I really like is that you can't rest until you read the books you've bought. I am proud that you love books so much. Never let go of that love.
"A house without books is like a room without windows. No man has a right to bring up children without surrounding them with books.... Children learn to read being in the presence of books". ~Horace Mann
As a child, I grew up in a house where we actually had an ancestral library. I wish there were cameras those days like we have now - I would have loved to show you photos of that place. The books were lovingly looked after by everyone in the family, neatly categorized and maintained dust free.
To read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one - Anonymous
We all had our special spots in the room to sit and read. One of the older cousins or uncles would maintain a register, just like a real library with dates of issue and return. This taught us the value of books. What lively discussions we had about what we read when everyone was home in the evening!
"It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations-something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own". ~Katherine Paterson
Do you remember how you and Grandma enjoyed reading to each other? My heart felt so full when I asked you last week about your favorite memory with her - and you said "reading together".
Your Grandma loved to read. She and I have shared many happy moments laughing, crying, arguing over the books we read.
The great thing about reading is you never feel alone. I remember during my school years, I would always have at least two story books in my bag. I've gotten caught so many times after lights out for reading under the covers. So dumb of me not to always realize that under the thick quilt, the torchlight still shone through with a nice dull glow! One of my craziest secret sorrows was when we moved and had to give away trunk loads of books! But today I have no regrets as I am amassing a huge digital library. I am glad I can read ebooks. Still, nothing like the fragrance of a book's pages and the joy of quietly sitting somewhere and reading it. Yes, juice for you, coffee for me!
My favorite gift idea is books, as you know. I am glad you think that way, too. As you read, remember to choose well.
"Be as careful of the books you read, as of the company you keep, for your habits and character will be as much influenced by the former as the latter." ~Paxton Hood
Reading grows your knowledge and you know that Knowledge is Power. It has helped you perform better at school and will do so in future, too. Reading relaxes you and encourages you to reflect while improving your writing style and growing your vocabulary.
What a long way we've come, from bedtime stories to your dreams of publishing books!
By the way, today is Earth Day - and I urge you to live by the slogan " Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ". Never print something unless you have to. Although I recommend a digital holiday every now and then, I think it is a good idea to use an e-reader - and save those trees that are fast disappearing.
Remember, there is no better friend than a book. Enjoy your love for reading!A to Z Challenge 2015 - Theme: Letters to my son
R is for Read.
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R is for Rice at Life Hacks for Diabetics