Big J does not read books. No interest at all.
But me, I couldn’t imagine life without them. This is something I have passed on to The Princess and Mr. Smartypants. The other day I listened as they engaged in a heavy discussion on London Calling, the Percy Jackson novels, Twilight, and various other stories they had found interesting, didn’t like, or could care less about (Harry Potter, I’m sorry, they just aren’t that into you). And it made me smile, because, really, what book lover doesn’t want to raise little bookworms of her own?
Knowing that they are able to fully lose themselves in tiny lines of neatly strung words and ideas, that they can be transported to different worlds and become anyone or anything they want any time they want to, that makes me happy.
There is a thrill that comes just after finishing a really, really good book. A rush of emotion that flushes your cheeks and leaves you wired for a few minutes, hours, maybe even days. The natural high of having just returned from such an amazing and emotional journey, that is one of the greatest gifts I could ever give to my children.
And the fact that they have held on to this gift and carried it with them through their lives, nurtured it and let it flourish in the garden of their minds? Well,that is the greatest gift anyone could ever give to me.
