Bibliophile - LOH #234

I am a book person. It’s as simple as that. My mom said I picked up reading at the very early age of eighteen months and it was a wonder to people in the village then - where I grew up. Mom said I could read and pronounce (albeit brokenly) six letter words and I was the first and only girl during that time to start attending school at such an early age.

She enrolled me in a missionary school run by Turks and British people. She said the teachers loved me and I was placed on a scholarship by one of the directors at the school because I was just too smart. Fast forward after that, I was placed on Scholarship twice for the same reason. All throughout Nursery and Primary school by The Church and The School.

When I got into Primary School, as early as Primary two, I already had my nose buried in books. I would buy story books every chance I got and my mom was more than happy to fund this habit of mine. In Primary five, my love for reading transcended and I found myself craving to understand words.

Anyway, I have always been a book person. Even something as mundane as a textbook then would excite me. I remember that in Primary Three, I was reading books for Primary Five. My mom was a teacher to Primary Five so, I would borrow her books and read. My favourite textbook then was Science.

It explained a lot about Satellites, stars and Planets. I would read that book over and over, it also helped that it had very detailed pictures. Anyway, I got interested in novels the more I moved on. I began reading bigger books with longer chapters. At a point, I got obsessed with my Grand Aunts' library and her encyclopedia.

I can't describe in details why I love and prefer books, what I do know how to explain is that books always seemed to spark my imagination. I learned from an early age that words brings the imagination to life. Stories were always my thing and I would tell them even though it labeled me a liar. I preferred to make up stories than live in my reality. I don't regret it though. It is the past now.

When I talk with people, and they go into descriptive details about something, I see it play in my head. It was always like an explosion of colours all at once. It was always ecstasy. I reveled in the stories of others and I enjoyed how my mind would light up with possibilities.

It still happens today, more vivid and clearer images than a HD picture. Almost like I am living it. This is why I prefer books. There are no limits to how far you can go. With the words, the colours explode in my head and I am building the impossible, seeing it and experiencing it. When I am done with a book, it takes me a while to get over the characters. I have lived vicariously through each one of them and sometimes, I forget that they do not exist.

I am a book person. Always have been, always will be. I cannot describe in detail why I prefer books but what I do know I can tell you is that, books bring words to life and they stretch the imagination in delicious ways.