Reading

When I was six, the thing I wanted most was to be able to read. I wanted to read the comics. My dad would read them to me. I didn't learn how to read until I was almost 7...since I was born in December and there was no kindergarten where I lived. My mother tried to teach me how to read when I was five, but I could not remember the alpahbet. I remember getting stuck on "B". I guess she didn't know the song.

When I finally learned how to read there was no stopping me. Being able to read was a reward at my house. I had to practice before I was free to read the comics. One Sunday at the dinner table, there was another incident related to practicing and my desire to read the comics. Here is how that went:
Daddy: "The funnies were sure funny today."

Me: (muttering under my breath, surly and pouty as usual) "Shut up!"

Well, it turns out that was not the right thing to say. (My daddy apologised to me for getting me in trouble later.)

I still read the comics. And I don't practice first.

My all time favorite is Charlie Brown.

A friend at church introduced me to the library when I was 9. I don't think I have missed more than two weeks visiting there since that day. My first book to check out was Nancy Drew. In those days, you could only check out 10 books at one time. I rode the bus to the downtown Ft. Worth library on Saturday and my 10 books were read by Tuesday. My daddy would know when I came outside to greet him when he came home from work that I had finished all my books.

Here's what I am reading today:

I have met some characters that have a very different background, experiences and lifestyle than me in this book, which makes me more grateful. I was going to say more compassionate, but I'm not sure you would believe that. I am more compassionate on the inside, anyway. I guess I am famous for my lack of compassion. My husband likes to use that character flaw in his sermon illustrations. Recently he was talking about an experience he had and here is what he said to a audience of 200 people: "My wife is a nurse and at that time, she worked in the operating room. You pretty much had to have a body part amputated to get her attention." There are some other things that will get my attention, but I really don't think it would be to my benefit to make them public knowledge.