Where Did It Begin?

There is a saying.
If you teach a boy to read you have given an education.
If you teach a girl to read you have influenced and changed a community.

Reading.

What a privilege.

When did I become a book worm?

Bear with me while I take a trip down memory lane.

The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore is a book that comes to mind as an early read. Barbie goes to New York is another one as I got a little older. Grama Laura gave it to me. How out of character that seemed, even at the time. She even gave me a bottle of nail polish to go with it. But as I recall, I remember Grama's wooden bookshelf. It wasn't bursting with books as my own shelves tend to do but I can see The Last Mohican, The Secret Garden, Little Women, a medical book with pictures of the disease Elaphantitis, some National Geographics. But I do remember reading in her living room. And I now have in my possession the Secret Garden.

In high school I spaced out. What a shame. I honestly did not complete homework assignments or do the required reading. It is a blank spot.

I do remember reading a couple of tomes on my own. Hawaii by James Michener and Christy by Catherine Marshall. Beloved Invader was written about a place in Georgia where my Aunt Gerry settled so that series was passed from her to Grama For. I actually got to visit the place and see the Spanish Moss that grew on the big oak trees that was so vivid in the novels.

I was introduced to the Bible in 1971. Before that, my experience with the Bible was looking at the Family Bible that was kept in the hall closet. It had a few family dates like births and baptisms written into it and it had colorful pictures of stories that were not familiar to me. As a Catholic, I knew catechism rote question and answers and had heard the Gospels read in snippets on Sundays. Mostly, I knew about the sacraments and what constituted a sin. But I never read the Bible.

Unfortunately/Fortunately, my first pastor told us that we had 66 books to read and didn't need to read anything else. So without any training on how to read this inspired Book of Books, I began to read my Bible. They also put me in charge of a two-three year old Sunday School class. At least we were all on the same level of introductory reading of these age old stories. My focus in reading stayed pretty much on the Bible after that and as Christian authors began their self help litany and Bible study guides and teachings our book shelves began to fill.

It wasn't until I came to Canada 21 years ago (O Canada!) that somehow I started to read just for pleasure. I remember getting Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and a c.d. named Phantasies by Danny Wright. We drove down the Oregon Coast and stayed at Seaside and I just couldn't get my nose out of the book. The music and story will always be intertwined in my soul.

It's always such a high to finish a story and it takes a while to come down and find another book to fill its place. My sister Melanie introduced me to Rosamunde Pilcher's Coming Home. It was such a cozy story.

By now I was hooked.

Chapters Book Store just happened to open in my community about this time and Laura got a job there. I got discounts on books. This is where the addiction began, along with the Starbucks coffee that Sara got me hooked on by working at Starbucks. Here was a place that had books AND coffee at a discount. Oh, happy days.

Chapters began a book club and I joined. This was a whole new world. Our first read was Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross. Everyone loved the book, which is unusual when there is a wide readership. I remained in the club until I moved to Maple Ridge.

Within the next year or so a group of us from the yoga studio started a local book club. We eventually named ourselves the Chicklits - chicks who are into lit....erature. It continues on after over six years.

I also started the Baobabes along with my buddy Kristi in the last two years. Kristi moved away in the meantime and it has floundered ever since.  But the beauty of this book club is that young women came on board. Kristi was the bridge between the older and the younger and it was a fabulous season. We began to introduce our favorites as well as exploring new titles together. (Note to self: call the Baobabes together!)

The Baobabes
From Center Clockwise:
Meredyth, Kristi, Kiyoka, Nadia, Chantel



Reading has become an integral part of my life. I usually have several books on the go from several genres. If I'm reading a novel I stick to one story but I always have my Bible and other inspirational books on the go at the same time. I thought it would be beneficial to have a place for me to express some of my thoughts about these books - hence, the new blogspot The Open Book.

Years of reading the Bible has definitely influenced how I read other books. That is probably why I am drawn toward historical fiction and pragmatic stories. I have a thirst for knowledge. I enjoy seeing what makes other people tick. It helps me understand people's actions when I have the inside scoop into a character's inner workings and thoughts and experiences. There is always more than meets the eye. Reading has helped me to become a 'more accepting of other people' person.

So there you have it for today. If I make these posts too long no one will want to read them. Thanks for listening and I'll see you soon.

I look forward to future musings.