Keep Reading....day 38 of 100....or scrolling, which ever you prefer...

I was asked today to think of what I like to do apart from being a Mom or wife to my brood. I had to really think about that question. My life has revolved around my family for 22 years. I am almost 49 so I did do plenty before  I had children, but for me, I simply loved being Mom, and everything came secondary, or third, or last but not least....

What did I like to do when I was a kid? The first thing that came to my mind was read! I loved to read! I had a hard time reading until I was in second grade, got glasses, and was put in a special reading group. But once I mastered what I needed to, I became an avid reader. I remember the library at McGraw school in Hampden, Maine. I LOVED library day. I would wander through the stacks and dream about checking out every book in the library and reading every single one of those books. The  first series I  read was
"The Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I must have read that series over and over. There was also this Boyou children series from Mississippi, and then came the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, which can last forever....until you hit middle school, then the ohhhvahhhh...Judy Blume books. Those were the scandalous must reads...LOL...what was considered scandalous in my day. Oh, and V.C.Andrews, Flowers in the Attic...now that was a weird series about siblings raised in an attic together...

Reading was an escape for me. I was a very awkward child. I was homely. I had these buck teeth and glasses and was just plain weird looking. I lacked confidence. I hated crowds or strangers. I would hide behind my mother if she tried to introduce me to people. I hated getting in front of my peer group for any reason. I always felt like no one liked me. I have no idea why, its just how I felt. It may have stemmed from the daily bus rides where I was incessantly told I was ugly. I was constantly questioned  "Why is your sister so cute and you are so ugly?" The minute I got onto the bus I pulled out a book so I could ignore everyone. My sister was well loved by everyone. She was so cute and friendly. I read my book to escape the constant put downs about my looks.

Today I love to read for information. But the other genres I love to read is historical fiction or historical bibliographies. LOVE THOSE. I love history. I always found reading about history to be calming. I prefer history, its already happened. The future was always scary to me, I did not want to think about tomorrow. Yesterday was easier to focus on. It had already happened. No surprises. Nothing unpredictable. It was safe. I guess this tells you a lot about me as a kid AND an adult. The unknown still scares me. I hate waiting. I want to know now. A book is already written. The ending is already in place. Its already happened in the pages of the book, I just need to read it, not live it. AHHHH, reading was always my grand escape from whatever was bothering me.

In the new year I want to take more time to read. I am currently reading "The Broken Way" by Ann Voskamp. I am also trying to read a historical sci fi book called "Outlander" by Dianne Gabaldon. It hasn't grabbed me yet, but I need more time to ingest all the plot lines. I am usually so tired by the time I can get to bed, I stay awake for a couple of pages. BUT....I want to do this for me. I want to read much more in 2017.

My favorite all time book? Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. All Time Favorite Book Ever.

Happy Reading!
Let me know what you are reading!
Escape in a brain healthy way!!
Just Read....and Breathe!

Julie Erb Robbins