Empish J. Thomas

Freelance Writer, Disability Blogger and Accessibility Consultant. I write and blog about #Accessibility #AudioDescription #Blindness #Disability and #Reading

Every Day is Book Lover’s Day for Me

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by

Empish
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Display of NLS Player Cartridges and Earbuds

Today is National Book Lover’s Day but every day is book lover’s day in my world. If you have been reading my blog or know me personally you know full well how much I enjoy reading and I couldn’t let this day pass without saying something, right? Of course not. And it being the weekend makes it even sweeter because I can truly relax and get into a good book or two. Honestly, I usually am reading at least one or two at the same time. One on my NLS talking book player and the other on my iPhone.

I have loved reading books since I was a child. My enjoyment began with my parents reading to me bedtime stories from the Golden Book series, which were short stories printed in a hard-bound book with gold trim on the binding. During my middle school years, it was Classics by Charles Dickens and contemporary fiction by Judy Blume. Once in high school and college I was introduced to African-American novels by Alice Walker, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison and Richard Wright. Even after losing my vision I didn’t quit reading. I did try reading braille for a while but found the process stressful and laborious. So, I stopped with just the rudimentary skills learning my numbers and letters. Today I dig into a good read in audio format.

The ability to escape to another place or time, learn something new or improve my life comes from reading books. Another benefit is the soothing effect and stress relief I gain from reading. Life can get busy and there is lots to do and many things to distract but sitting still and reading a good book slows me down, gives me some peace and helps me to be calm. I encourage you reading this blog to take time today and every day to read a book.

Comments

5 responses to “Every Day is Book Lover’s Day for Me”

  1. Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. Avatar
    Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

    Like you, I’m a voracious reader. I go from book to book to book— all kinds, each hundreds of pages long, no limits, imagination unleashed— so we have quite a library. Having grown up with assorted books, magazines, and comic books, I’m appalled, disgusted, discouraged, frustrated, concerned, and even angry (when my powerlessness dares to voice its rebellion) about what’s going on in these very fragile times when others purport to speak for the rest of us, when all “they” really want is to exert influence (control!!!) over the rest of us. I dread to think where we’re headed as others encroach on our personal space: rights, choices, thoughts. We are so beyond Orwell’s 1984 that it’s “vewy, vewy scawy,” to quote Elmer Fudd.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Empish Avatar
      Empish

      Yes, so true! I worry about where we are going ttoo with accessing knowledge and having critical thinking skills. I grew up in the library and my parents were strong believers in reading, thinking and education. I even remember my dad getting me Word Book Encyclopedias when I was in the 3rd grade. I used them for all kinds of things. We had newspapers, magazines and other literature in my home. So, yes I agree with you. This is part of why I write this blog; to educate people and bring awareness.

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  2. Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. Avatar
    Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

    Yes!!! When I first commented, I’d wanted to write that, when I was eleven in 7th grade, my social studies teacher visited our house and sold mom on getting me a set of World Book Encyclopedias. But, nah. Maybe she’d think them “old school.” And to think that you had some, too. Amazing. I didn’t know anyone else who had a set, and I kept mine all the way through to the end of my teaching career. (Well, once a teacher, always a teacher; but you know what I mean.)

    And to think that you had some, too. Amazing.

    Knowing that the parents of my students most likely didn’t have the means to provide reading materials at home, I made sure to have a large, diverse library in our classroom. Lots of bookshelves. Two long sofas. Lots of time to sit and share with each other when their work was done. And I’d tell them stories. Lots of stories. And we dialogued. We had the best of times!

    (Some of my students had never even been to the mall, much less visited Waldenbooks there. Or the public library!)

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Empish Avatar
      Empish

      Wow! Yes, I don’t know many people who had World Book Encyclopedias either. But I am so glad my parents made that investment. Sounds like you were and still are a wonderful teacher. Providing a special and safe place for your students to read is a beautiful thing.

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  3. Deli Lanoux, Ed.D. Avatar
    Deli Lanoux, Ed.D.

    Once a teacher always a teacher. It’s who and what I’ve been since childhood.
    Even now, teaching is a vocation. I’m no longer in the classroom; but, like you, I still teach because to teach is to learn is to teach.

    Liked by 1 person

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