Read Between the Lines

     In the fourth grade something magical happened to me. This epiphany basically changed my whole life and even the course of my educational experience. What I discovered was my love for reading. I read books in the past before, but I didn’t connect with them and it didn’t change my life. It was like being in an abusive relationship, you both hate each other and you just want each other to die. I tried forcing myself to read but the more I did, the more reluctant I became towards the idea of it.

     My fourth grade class had a race every month to see which team read the most books, the prize was candy. I was competitive but I liked candy more, I knew that my team had to win so we could get the prize. Using my awesome brain skills, I made a plan to find the shortest books so I could read them really fast and accumulate points even quicker.

     The first book I found in my school’s library was the Taste of Blackberries by Doris Buchanan Smith. I really wasn’t looking for a book too enjoy because all I had in mind was the idea of winning, but I decided to actually read the book instead of faking it. As I really got into the book, a lot of things started happening and I realized how relatable the story and the characters really were. I felt that I was able to use this story as a tiny comparison to my life. I fell in love with the idea that these words were so little, yet carried a lot of power. Proving to me that the pen is mightier than the sword.

     Ever since then, books became more than just a thing carry around, but a way for me to explore my imagination, my thoughts and fantasies. These small little words are like mini movies being played in my head except they are imagined in the beholder's mind. It also gave me an outlet, another world to live, a second home that does not judge you but gladly accepts you with wide open pages waiting to be explored.