I grew up in a home with no
TV.
And yes, there were cars
back then, for those of you who are now wondering how old I am.
There were even TVs back
then, we just didn’t have one.
Every Friday my dad would
grocery shop after work and take me to the
library on his way to the store. I’d search row after row of shelves for books
that I hadn’t read yet, check out the maximum amount allowed (ten, I think) and
read them before the following Friday.
This scenario would repeat weekly.
This scenario would repeat weekly.
While my friends were
rushing home from school to watch cartoons; Popeye, Looney Tunes, The Three
Stooges and the Little Rascals, I went home to read.
And I couldn’t
wait.
Words threaded together,
creating pictures, people and stories have intrigued me as far back as I can
remember. As I read descriptions of places and personalities, I would imagine
them in my mind. I could see it all, the backdrops, settings and what each
person looked like.
I’ve been disappointed more than once by a movie based on a book because what was on the screen looked like nothing I had created inside my head.
I’ve been disappointed more than once by a movie based on a book because what was on the screen looked like nothing I had created inside my head.
Many a night, when I should
have been asleep, I was under the blankets with a flashlight and a book I
couldn’t put down.
There was nothing worse than leaving a good story right in the middle, to go to school, take out the trash, help Dad in the yard or Mom in the kitchen and be left wondering the entire time, what was going to happen next.
There was nothing worse than leaving a good story right in the middle, to go to school, take out the trash, help Dad in the yard or Mom in the kitchen and be left wondering the entire time, what was going to happen next.
By the time I was in middle
school I had a fondness for horse stories; Misty, Black Beauty and My Friend
Flicka, to name just a few.
In high school I was reading classics; Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, Moby Dick, Call of the Wild, Pilgrims Progress, Gone With the Wind, The Chronicles of Narnia and the works of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain.
In high school I was reading classics; Robinson Crusoe, Swiss Family Robinson, Moby Dick, Call of the Wild, Pilgrims Progress, Gone With the Wind, The Chronicles of Narnia and the works of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain.
I’ve had a lifetime love
affair with books and reading was and still is one of my favorite getaways, a
form of relaxation and fun.
It’s hard to be a decent
writer without reading. Because I enjoyed reading so much, I also developed a
fondness for writing.
Putting my thoughts into
words forces my mind to be deliberate about my own opinions, viewpoints and
desires. Seeing my heart written out in black and white give me reason to be
both intentional and reasonable in how I think about life and the myriad of
emotion and events swirling around me.
Writing keeps me centered and is my therapy.
Writing keeps me centered and is my therapy.
I’m currently taking a
writer’s course and am being told that reading has changed in America.
Technology and finger tip
access to information, texting, social web pages and constant entertainment has
moved our attention span meter next to zero. The latest generation now reads
and writes in small bites (or should it be bytes), if at all.
“LOL!” (laughing out loud,
for the few who may not know)
“OMW “ (on my way)
“Where R U?”
I’ve been informed that
people don’t read anymore, they scan, scrolling thru web pages on mobile
devices faster than film frames roll in an animated movie.
Writers are being told to
create shorter sentences that are “tight” and have punch, be more attentive to
white space in relation to words on a page and hook people with interest and
excitement in the first paragraph to instantly catch and keep their attention.
While these are good
writing techniques to follow, I admit to being disappointed for the reason they
are being suggested.
Maybe I’m old-school; after
all I grew up without a TV…
But...instead of dumbing
down our writing, how about we teach kids to read again. Really read.
Gather our children around
us on the sofa. Turn off the TV, smart phone and tablet and read a book out
loud. Together.
Find time during the day;
at breakfast before school, after dinner or at bedtime, whatever works for the
family schedule, to read.
Start when the kids are
little. Let them fall in love with books.
Statistics show that
children who are read to and who read do better in school and become lifelong
learners.
And if that isn’t enough
motivation, some of those readers could become famous authors, publishing book
after made-for-movie book, creating sufficient wealth to take care of you into
your old age.
So read, read, read!
P.S. I hope you didn't just
scan this post but actually read it.
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