Monday, June 25, 2012

Reading is....

...experiencing the thunderstorm from a place of safety

 

My baby daughter stood at the window watching the rain fall, listening to the thunder.

She pointed at the rain, then reached up to touch her hair, as if wondering why the rain wasn't getting her wet.

We can safely experience the world through a good book. 

All the thunder.
All the lightning.
It can be a little scary, but we're never hit, never hospitalized.

With an open window we can even smell the rain, taste it, maybe even feel the sharp, cold splatters on our cheeks, but we're never drenched.

This must be one of the allures of reading. 

What else draws you to a good book? 

15 comments:

  1. Very true, and such a cool way to look at it. I also like that knowing other people who have read the same book creates a different level of connection with them. It's like you've shared the same experience yet completely separate from each other.

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  2. Aw, too cute! I love that way of looking at reading. Sometimes a book is so powerful that I have to stop, breathe, and remind myself that it isn't happening to me. I love that feeling!

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  3. Love this analogy! So true. The best books stick with you for the rest of your life!

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  4. Nice analogy. Reading is just a great escape and adds a lot of excitement that somehow relaxes me.

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  5. I sometimes read to have a break from a stressful situation. I can go and "be" someone else for an hour or so. Sometimes it is just what is needed to tackle it.

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  6. Great analogy. :) We enjoyed the thunderstorms both real and bookish today too.

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  7. Love the analogy Amy! And the picture is so adorable.
    Escapism is what a good book does for me. Oh, and makes me sit down for a while too!

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  8. So true! I am drawn to beautifully made books (both writing and art) and stories that make me feel!

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  9. I can't think of a better comparison! And that little one is too cute!!!:)

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  10. A scantily-clad woman on the cover always gets me attention.
    Sincerely,
    Purient Pedro

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  11. Hi Amy .. what a great photo of a wandering mind of a child - why doesn't it rain inside ... too true.

    Smells of wet earth, damp undergrowth .. misty mornings ..

    I love description so we can feel the character through their journey in the book ..

    Cheers Amy - enjoy your current read ..Hilary

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  12. Beautiful post. Besides experiencing things through books, I'm drawn by the encouragement - the characters can overcome difficult challenges. So can I. :)

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  13. Fantastic post. I love it that books frighten me, make me laugh, uplift me, and place me in other emotional frames of mind. Sometimes my heart absolutely pounds when I'm reading a dangerous scene, yet I'm completely safe on my sofa.

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