Shreya | Readers’ Story of the Week | Story #137

Have you ever anxiously waited to open a new book, feel the serenity of those crisp pages and smell the freshness of a new journey? No? Just me? As strange as it might sound to you, I am sure most book lovers would relate to my story.

The beginning of my wholesome adventure goes back to the time I was in fifth grade. I had a lovely bunch of friends, who did everything they could to make my life better. I still remember the day quite well; it was the morning of my most memorable birthday, after all. I had rushed into the classroom and was soon surprised with a little box-like thing carelessly wrapped in a shiny green gift wrap. The present had been placed in the very middle of my desk.

Now, I have always loved presents. Even to date, I appreciate the smallest efforts one puts in just for me. I was thrilled as I tore open the gift within a few seconds. And there it was, the inanimate object that was about to change my life forever – Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief.

Well, I am not going to lie about this – I was actually kind of disappointed at first. I was hoping to get a teddy bear or some funky board game, but a thick, fat book? And that too with no pictures? Surely, it was going to be the most nightmarish gift of my life! My friends looked pretty happy, though. They even talked me into giving it a shot. I went back home that day, still unhappy, and complained to my mother about it. She sat me down and told me to respect the present by giving it a read, and so I did. And you know what? Ever since then, I have not been able to stop doing so.

I read day and night, transporting myself into the souls of the various characters I met along the way. You might argue that I was addicted! More often than not, I would finish reading a book within a day and then head to the nearest bookstore to get another one. Time passed, yet my love for reading remained pretty much the same.

There was also a time when I would bunk my PE lessons just to spend a few extra minutes at the school library. A very healthy kid I was, wasn’t I? If I were to prepare a list of the books I have read since then, it would probably take forever to end. From the young-adult humor in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books to the strategic conspiracies of Dan Brown’s books. While I am no longer as obsessed with reading as I used to be, thanks to my newfound academic priorities, my passion remains very much intact. I still make the most of every opportunity I get to read a good book.

I feel that books have changed my life for the better as my zeal for reading turned out quite handy in other spheres of life too! For instance, while all the other kids would get all stressed up before a language exam, I was the coolest person around. If anything, I felt super-excited to pen my thoughts down on the exam sheet! Be it an edgy extempore speech or even a heated debate, I always expressed my opinions both confidently and vociferously. Today, I feel I can effortlessly put together a poem within seconds, an essay within minutes, and a story within hours!

I enjoy reading and writing pieces. It helps me improve and enhance my skills along the way, for which I am extremely grateful. My adventure certainly has turned me into a high-spirited individual, one who is not afraid to look a daunting challenge in the eye and shoot it a naughty wink.