I have always been fond of reading, be it the sports’ section of the newspaper or the stories in my textbooks. However, the one thing I didn’t like reading were the questions we were asked during our exams. More often than not, I would be unsure about the answers!
Apart from this, I always enjoyed reading. It made me happy in a way that most things couldn’t. It was my way of knowing things. Unlike most kids my age, I wasn’t really into TV. We only had two channels – the classic DD National and DD News – to speak of, anyway! Besides, technology was yet to conquer the world like it has today. With no smartphones or fancy gadgets, reading naturally became my preferred way of killing time. The more I read, the more I loved books.
I had already started reading novels by the time I was in fourth grade! The first novel I read was Black Beauty. I still remember how heartbroken I was during the middle chapters, but the thrill I felt on completing the novel is something I will never forget. This book made me realize how complicated the world can get for humans and animals alike. Like I said, there were times when the story saddened me, but I didn’t give up. For a fourth grader, that was an achievement in itself. Maybe it was my grit, or maybe my love of reading, or maybe both!
Looking back, I feel blessed to have spent so much time reading. It has taught me many a life lesson, some of which I have successfully implemented in my life.
The last thing I would like to add – which happens to be the best lesson books have taught me – is that it’s not about how start, but rather how you finish. Happy reading!
A NOTE TO OUR READERS
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