The past couple years I have spent so much time writing books, reviewing books, talking books…but I never stopped reading books…so I temporarily forgot that there are lots of non-readers, who are quite proud of it, almost snobby about it….
This morning as I drove in, I remembered some of my non-reader encounters and had to chuckle to myself, glad it was still dark, because at some points I was flat out laughing…
I remember living in Kentucky in the early eighties, I was in my dwindling-twenties, with a two year old, living in military quarters…I had an interesting mix of neighbors, all ages, races, nationalities…cool…
However, there was the woman next door, a sister, who I enjoyed talking to, she was pretty funny, but she thought my life was a bit soft and by default so was I. One of the things that set her off was my reading….didn’t make sense to her…
One day a bunch of neighbors was playing volleyball, I love volleyball, right after basketball and before track, those were my sports….
I was invited to play…she of course had to chime in with…’She can’t play, she probably wants to read a book…”
I did of course go back to reading after we beat her team to dust, and I spiked all over her a few times…if you gonna bring game, I suggest you stop by Parker Brothers…
The next scenario was many years later, I was working on a Wildlife Refuge and one of my favorite things to do at lunch was read, most of the teachers, counselors, administrators found that a good time to gossip about the kids we were supposed to help and I didn’t want to partake…from across the room a woman chimed…
“I heard that readers live through others, they would rather read than do.”
Most days I would have waved her off but I felt I a little b#yatchy so I said,
‘Please share, tell me what scintillating, globe-trotting, avant garde activities you have partaken in lately, then we can compare notes…’
“Huh?’
Psssssst, exactly, when you come to the fight, get strapped…
And the one that really tosses me these days is when a WRITER says, ‘I don’t READ’…
Whew…I haven’t even come up with a comeback for that one…
What I will say is that one of the coolest things about writing has been to introduce people who didn’t previously read to books….
So many people I know and by default people they know have read my work, many saying they hadn’t read a book since they were in school and many have been out of school for years…Cool
With my latest book, my greatest pleasure have been hearing parents say to me,
“This is the first book my child read or read in it’s entirety… one parent even said,
“My daughter usually watches trash talk TV when she is home, but she read your book and told me it was just as fun, but with a good message” Cooler…
But the coolest thing is when I walk past a group of youngsters and their eyes are fastened to the pages of a book and all they can concentrate on is the words on the page…
I take time to tell them what a lovely activity one they can take anywhere...
While they are sitting a bench somewhere resting from their latest athletic endeavors….they can read…
While riding in a car, sitting in an airport, flying through the air, or lying on a beach…
They can read…
Reading doesn’t take away from anything, it only adds to and enhances while expanding one’s mind…WAY COOL
Love and Blessings,
Angelia
http://www.angeliavmenchan.com/
