I do not have too many books

I love books...I didn't start out this way.  I struggled with reading.  It was hard for me.  Mildly dyslexic letters don't stay put.  Spelling is a nightmare for me and I often can't tell if something is spelled incorrectly without the little red dots under the word.  My seventh grade teacher gave me a bad speller's dictionary with psychology in the 's' section.  I was blessed with a lovely librarian that introduced me to such books as The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.  I was encourage by the librarian to get permission to help after school.  In junior high, I continued to help in the library.  I would re-shelve books that were checked in.  The school had a program where kids could buy books.  I used my allowance to buy a few each year.  Also in our city was a yearly used book sale at the fair grounds where a barn size building was filled with books.  My friend persuaded me to read The Lord Of the Rings. I loved the book but I still hated reading.  I read the New Testament in junior high too.  In high school, I tackled my reluctance to read and signed up for a free reading class.  I was required to read any book I wanted then write a book report. I started by reading books my mother suggested...our taste in reading is not similar.  I struggled with Men to Match my Mountains.  My teacher encouraged me to switch to something I would actually enjoy.  I read The Little Prince, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Bellevue a State of Mind, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, to name a few.  My teacher knew that if I became engrossed in reading I would over come my fear and become enthralled in the book.  Practice makes a difference.  I also learned tricks like the word bed so I would know which was a b or a d because the word bed looks like a bed when you spell it right.  College was another world of increasing dependency on books.  I had a small collection of my own books and I started adding more to the collection.  My books were much bigger in college.  Then after I was married, I was unable to attend college.  My DH challenged me to learn as much on my own as I did at college.  I discovered the nonfiction section of the library.  I became a life long student with books as my mentors.  I continued to collect books.  I bought books at used books stores like a collection of Shakespeare that I have never read but I felt should have in the house.  I packed my books where ever we moved to.  Long before I entered counseling I learned to use books to explore almost anything.  Two things I found I couldn't learn from a book....how to cook and how to interact with people.  I didn't know that both were glitches buried in my forgotten past.  (Yes, I read cookbooks but if you forget you are cooking something you will still burn it.)  I tackled many problems by reading books.  Someone once asked me how I knew so much about computers I quipped back, "You know the book that says read me first, I did."  I was already in the habit of reading when KavinCoach used books with me to try to tap into what was in my past.  I remember in high school feeling very surprised that anyone could remember their childhood.  I didn't know how unusual it was for me to have almost no childhood memories.  KavinCoach started probing my mind by having me read a book and for me to tell him my reaction to the book.  Each book I brought back and asked him what he wanted me to learn from it.  The books were increasingly more severe child abuse cases.  I didn't react.  I started buying my own copy of books.  I started writing in my books having a chat on the page with the author.  I believe that the world expands beyond time and borders.  J.K. Rawling can write her wonderful books in England and I can be enthralled with her stories in the US.  The books of the Bible are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago.  I love books I have multiple book shelves and two deep on many of those shelves.  :)  Facebook I became introduces to the group of 'I do not have too many books' and I enjoy the pictures of other people's collections.  Here is a link to one of the delightful pages:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/harpercollins/17-problems-only-book-lovers-will-understand-9npd

Enjoy