The Written Word

I love books. I have loved books for, well, ever. I remember when I was probably 5 or 6 I told my parents I needed a night light because I was afraid of the dark, and then I would sneak out of my bed and read by the light. I can still remember the adrenaline rush when I would hear their footprints and would run silently (or so I thought) back into my bed with my book under the covers. I would lay in my bed thinking they'd never notice my rapidly beating heart or my fluttering eyelids. As I got older, the worst punishment my parents could inflict on me would be to take my halfway finished book until I had finished whatever task I had ignored up to that point. I was in 5th grade the first time I stayed up all night reading- and had to go to school the next day. I remember I read "Christy." More than once I told my friends I was grounded and couldn't go out just so I could finish a particularly interesting novel. When college came around, becoming an English major was a no-brainer. I loved the literary part of my education. Once, I overheard a girl in one of my classes telling someone that she was grounded from books as a kid- there were more people like me in the world! All that being said, I have read a lot of books in my life. And yet, sometimes I get this feeling of panic for all the books that I haven't read. How did I make it through college as an English Major and never have read Virginia Woolf, Henry James or Ivanhoe? It is an almost hopeless feeling, knowing that I could read every day for the rest of my life and not even come close to making a dent in the great literary works. I would absolutely LOVE to join a book club and have contemplated joining the one at the library many times. I just imagine a room full of old, stuffy, intellectuals who love to hear themselves talk and I would not be willing to fight to get a word in edgewise. (Not a fair supposition considering I want to join and the rest of the people could be just like me) I have made countless lists of books I am want to read and usually end up loosing them or getting distracted with something else. This year, I am going to be more intentional with it. I am going to make a list and follow it. I feel like I am missing out on so much greatness.