2.02.2010

Day 1

I suppose I fell in love with books first.
I grew up without a television,
My only friends were my sisters and my parents,
Because the girls my age only spoke Japanese,
And their parents only let them play with nice Japanese girls.

So I fell in love with reading.
The characters were always my friends.
Taught me about how to survive childhood and adolescence.
Liesel, Adah, and Daniel caused me to sob into my pillow,
So I didn't wake any one in my house up.

Since the first book I can remember,
I have read thousands of books. 
Some are longer, funnier, or sadder than others.
But they never let me down.

In a way, I think I loved them first because they loved me back.

And that's the beauty of books.
Isn't it?

What was your first love?

(Other thoughts on reading here, here, here)

9 comments:

Jessica Lynn said...

Hello miss Mandy,
By way of introduction I'm Britt's roommate-aka bod.
I want you to know that I was a member of the Karen Brewer fan club. I devoured those books constantly as a child, and I'm glad you did too.
Books are the stuff of life, I will always believe that.
I'm glad you do too.

Brittany said...

I love that you chose this as your first love. Mainly because I love them so much sometimes it hurts. I'm so grateful that I was an only child for 18 months, because apparently my mother and I would read all day, every day. And they say I never became restless.

I still haven't. I'm glad you wrote this. It's beautiful.

Anonymous said...

i can't believe someone in this world read the unlikely romance of kate bjorkman besides me.

i just started the power of one. heard of it?

ali said...

This is beautiful. I love the passion and love you have for books, well simply because I have the same love. It is always so refreshing when you know there are many people out there who would rather curl up on their couch or bed with a book than the tv., and I am glad to be one of those people. :)

Sheryl said...

i'm jealous. i want to love reading. i can't tell you how many books i've started and haven't finished. it's a travesty really.

love you doll. thanks for the encouraging words. i could come there and go on a date with those boys but i want more. they are so far away. i'll be fine. no worries.

Unknown said...

I, like Brittany, was spoiled by my mom. She read to me everyday from the day I was born until the 8th grade. I can define elementary years by which book I was reading during certain events.

I love this post.

I know books are on my list, but I think my first love was lipstick. I have a picture I would love to show you.

Kay said...

although, books are at the top...the outdoors, well, captivated me! literal fights insued when told that it was time to come in, 'but moooommm!' the female version of tom sawyer :) wonderful way to share, ending with a question.

siovhan said...

I love this.
This is why I feel like we are long lost bffs.
My first love may have been sunshine with books coming very closely behind.

drewandlacey said...

i thought about jamberry the other day! i told drew that we need to get it for emmy. :)