When I young, I always read. Like ALWAYS. My Mom would even jokingly say, ‘You’re so smart because you read so much.” And it was true. I did love to read. I would go the library and check out books and just read them during my summer breaks.

 When I went to college, I was blessed with friends who also loved to read, probably more so than me. There used to be this book fair called Holland Hall Book Fair that took place every year in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We went twice during our time at college (it’s no longer running, unfortunately), and let me tell you, we walked away with BAGS of books. Books that I have still today, almost 10 years later.

 After college, I still read, but more casually. Dancing to K-pop (that’s a whole ‘nother story) became my main hobby and reading kind of took a back burner.

So fast forward to today, I’m slowly jumping back into the journey of reading again. And I LOVE it. I’m reminded of the stories that used to pull me in, the characters I fell in love with, the thrilling rides I would go on, the emotional journeys I would experience, and the lessons I would learn.

 Reading really does open up whole new worlds, and it’s thrilling to experience. Of course, not every book hits the mark, but when it does, you can’t put it down.  I recently read a YA series about a young woman who finds out she’s the daughter of a Japanese prince. I love Japanese culture so this one was right up my ally.

 I was quite proud of the author’s careful attention to detail that made everything believable. Her characters were relatable and likeable, and the story didn’t seem forced. Sprinkle in the occasional moments of humor, and I was on cloud 9. Plus, the romance was A+.

And since it’s important to stay in the know about what’s happening in the world around me, I want to push myself to read more nonfiction books. From political to race relations to history to even science and health, I want to learn more about the things that matter. So, cheers to learning and growing.

 I say all this to say, I’ve been frequenting the library more and I even dusted off my Kindle. I’ve got a LONG TBR list and I’m ready to see how many I can knock off my list. Plus, when I’m wired at night, there’s nothing like a good book to help that melatonin kick in.

 I’m happy I found the joy of reading again.