If things had been different...
By 41Combedale
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
Greece
January 12, 2016 1:46pm CST
I wish I had grown up in a house full of books and with parents who loved to read. I cannot recall a bookcase or even a book lying around, only my mother's weekly magazine. I had a number of children's books, I remember Black Beauty was one of them, but they were gifts bought for Christmas or birthdays and that was all.
We must all have had circumstances in our lives when we were young that we wish had been different in some way. Situations that we could not change but ones that we learned to overcome or accept.
In my case there was a cupboard for books in the classroom and a library down the road which compensated for the lack of books at home. Changing my book at the library became part of my weekend routine and books have played a significant role in my life ever since.
19 people like this
17 responses
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jan 16
So often children need a nudge and a lift from their parents to take advantage of all that is on offer.@marlina
@AnneEJ (4917)
• Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Quebec
12 Jan 16
I remember reading a quote many years ago, that said, "A home without books is like a room without windows." I had very few books growing up, and made sure my children had lots. They are all avid readers today, and all of them did well in school because of their love for reading.
3 people like this
@41CombedaleRoad (5952)
• Greece
12 Jan 16
That is a very apt quote, opening a book is like opening a window or a door into another world with so much to learn and so much to enjoy.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 16
When I was small we didn't have many books, so the library was a regular feature of our lives. As we emerged from the war years my parents began to buy books on a regular basis, and even joined book clubs, so I was lucky to have access to lots of books.
@Morleyhunt (21736)
• Canada
1 Mar 16
We didn't have a house full of books and the library was not accessible until I was about 9 years old, but I certainly developed a love of reading.
@seemads21 (87)
• Jabalpur, India
13 Jan 16
I had not grown up in a house full of books but still what we want to read parents provide us..
I really thank to my parents..!!!
@GardenGerty (157652)
• United States
13 Jan 16
We grew up with books in the house. Mom would join book clubs, Dad had various jobs that involved cleaning out homes for resale.Discarding books would have been sacrilege. We did have classroom "libraries" in elementary school.. I never went to a public library until I was in debate in High School. My mom was afraid I would check things out and they would be overdue and we would not have money for the fines. I loved books though and found reading to be a joyful escape that really expanded my world.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
13 Jan 16
Neither of my parents were readers either and I was much like you, I loved books and Black Beauty was one of my favorites.
@TypicalRussian (747)
• Budennovsk, Russian Federation
13 Jan 16
"stop in reading means stop in thinking"
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
13 Jan 16
We had tons of books everywhere. My parents were voracious readers. Reading became my escape. They may have bought us lots of books, but they otherwise ignored the three kids.
@JESSY3236 (18953)
• United States
13 Jan 16
My grandmother and my mother loved to read. My mother now doesn't read as much as she used to. I don't know how you can get by in life without knowing how to read.
@JudyEv (326093)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Jan 16
We have so many books - too many really. I have been in many houses where there isn't a book to be seen. I don't know how they manage :)
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
12 Jan 16
My father was a book reader and my mother was a magazine reader, I used to have lots of books at home when I was a child. I also went to the library and took books home to read even to this day books are my friends. To bad you didn't have the books in your home.
@celticeagle (159400)
• Boise, Idaho
12 Jan 16
I remember some times I have felt that way. But, as far as books my mom loved them and read to me all the time when I was young.
@Elizaby (6901)
• Pensacola, Florida
12 Jan 16
Didn't have too many books at home growing up, but always had the limit the school wold allow to have a one time from the school library as I love to read
