Friday, 20 July 2007 - Joy of reading

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for the joy of reading.

Oh for a book and a shady nook . . . ~John Wilson

Books fall open ... you fall in. ~message on Mary Englebreit greeting card

The incessant hype surrounding Harry Potter's final tale and hordes of children anxiously waiting to read the book reminds me of my own entrance into the world of reading.

I mastered the concept of reading before I started kindergarten. The year was 1959 or 1960, the pre-PBS/Sesame Street days when shows like Romper Room and Sheriff John regularly entertained preschoolers.

I don't recall how I learned to read - probably picked up the skill by listening to my mother tutor my older sister. All I know is that one day I couldn't read, the next, I could.

And, that, my friends, has made all the difference!

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.