Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy for Books.

This week's question is: When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?

This is an odd question for me to answer. It is like asking when did you realize that breathing was something you needed to do?

My mom and my grandmother keep telling me how when I was little (maybe 2 or 3, before I could properly read), that I would make a stack of books next to my reading location of choice (ie. laundry basket, so I've been told), sit down and "Read" them. I got older, my parents would read to me and I would read. I can't remember not reading. There was never any conscious decision about whether I would read or not, I was just a reader.

My parents never deterred me. At one point I had a complete set of Babysitter Club books, purchased with allowance or sheer begging the parents to get. They never dictated what I could read, though for the longest time it was things like Babysitter Club and Nancy Drew. We'd go to the libraries, and the used bookstores, and we donate books we no longer wanted to the library sales. The only time I remember anyone not to read a particular book at a certain time was when I had asked about reading East of Eden for a seventh grade assignment (it had been one of my uncle's books. But still haven't read that). They had no problems with me reading Gone With The Wind for a project in the same class.

Sure, I did other things in school. I took dance class for a while. I played soccer for a while, and was in the school orchestra from the fourth grade through college. I learned the piano. But the one thing that really stuck was reading. I might not have liked the things when forced to read them for class, but I loved reading. I got so bad that during grad school, I was forced to put what ever I was reading for pleasure away in the closet so I would focus on my class reading or research. I always have something to read with me, even if going with family out to dinner.

I'm a hopeless case, and even if there were a cure, I wouldn't want it.