Friday, October 29, 2010

Happy Birthday To My Mom The Bookworm

  My mom loved to read and read all her life.  As a kid, she always loved to read.  She would read up in her room way passed her bedtime.  One of her goals was to read all the fiction books in the library.  She started with the authors whose names began with A.  Her birthday was October 29 and I always think of her more that day than usual.  I still miss her very much and wish she were still here, but know she is enjoying heaven and one day I will join her. 
 
Growing up she always encouraged me to get into reading.  She would read to me and got me a magazine subscription to JACK AND JILL.  I brought them home from dad’s after he died and was going to try selling them on Ebay, but they weren’t in very good shape so I ended up tossing them out.  I still remember reading the witch story that was continued each month.  She also enrolled me in a book club and I still have some of those books.  Two I gave to my nephews as gifts.  One was about trucks and the other about a fish that kept growing because it ate too much.  She also bought quite a few other books for me and my dad built me my own bookcase that was in my bedroom.  Today, it is in my den. 
 
Once I got into school though, I actually had trouble reading because my eyes were bad and I couldn’t see the blackboard.  My first grade teacher held special sessions after school for those who were having trouble reading and that’s when she realized I needed glasses and told my parents.  What a difference it made when I could see.  That teacher, Ms. Franz, was on the ball. 
 
My love for reading never really jelled in spite of lots of trips to the library to encourage it.  I remember getting the shortest books I could find for book reports and reading about some baseball players and Peppi Longstocking.  I would much rather be active and do other things though.  Reading never made my list of priorities.  My mom loved reading novels about other countries and romance.  She liked Danielle Steele and subscribed to The Reader’s Digest book club that sent condensed versions. 
 
When my mom got to be housebound, I would go to the library for her and pick out books.  She was very appreciative of this but sometimes I picked books she didn’t care for.  Most of the time, I did pretty good.  I wish now that I read regularly, she were still here so we could discuss books.  I blew it but know she would be happy now that I am finally reading for pleasure.  It just took me a long time to catch the bug.  (I still don’t care for Danielle Steele books.)
 
What passion do you want to pass along to your children or what did your mom want you to love doing?  Please check out our Spooktacular Stephen King book Giveaway--closes at 12:30 Oct. 31.

Related Posts About Mom:  
A Letter To Mom Because I Can't Write Poems
Me and My Piano
Boo On Halloween

4 comments:

  1. My mom was an avid reader as well. She just wanted me to do my best in everything that I did. I've already passed on my love of reading and books to my children, which is why their are more books than anything else in this house. I probably could open a library. :-) Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would have loved your mom! I love the fact that she wanted to read every fiction book in the library and it makes me wonder how close she go to meeting that goal.

    My mom wasn't/isn't much of reader...but she did start me on my life-long love affair with books. When I was in second grade she gave me her five book set of Nancy Drew books that she'd gotten for Christmas one year when she was in grade school. My favorite gift of all time from her (and she's given me some pretty spiffy stuff)!

    I would love to pass my passion for books on to my son...but, although he does read more than my husband, I don't think it will ever be a real love for him Video games and computers hold that place in his heart.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your mom & I shared the love of reading--and both of us had kids who didn't enjoy reading! I did everything I could to get my boys to love reading, but it just didn't take....

    ReplyDelete
  4. My mother read us all of the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe books while we were camping. I still remember being snuggled warm in our sleeping bags, listening to the raindrops on the tent, listening to her voice share those magic words.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails