I grew up in a world far different from most kids today. Back in the age when internet is unheard of and computers games are for the rich kids, I spent my childhood climbing trees, crawling in the mud and running around with my playmates. Back then, our imagination is more than enough to get us out of boredom.
More than the games and fun, the thing I loved most while growing up was climbing my grandparents’ shelves and grabbing a book or two. I grew up in a family of bookworms and for as long as I can remember, we never ran out of books to read.
I grew up with Babar and his Royal family of elephants; spent rainy afternoons with the Cat in the Hat; went to a picnic with Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear when the Bear Family went on a picnic; journeyed with Alice in Wonderland and escaped with Peter Rabbit. Growing up, I spent hours reading the Reader’s Digest and was left amazed by the wonderful world of the National Geographic Magazines. Those days were heaven.
Growing up, books were my bestfriend. Books are magic. It makes you forget your sadness, teaches you so many things and transports you into a world where everything is possible. It opens your mind to possibilities; a world of ideas and thoughts that is as rich as your mind can handle.
Whenever I see kids today spending more time playing on their gadgets, I feel sad. They are technologically advanced but will they ever see the beauty of the written word?
I know e-books are a thing now but, there is a different kind of satisfaction and happiness that only a physical book can bring. That sense of excitement as you turn the pages. The smell of a newly opened book. The dog-ears and the creases you try so hard to avoid but couldn’t. The joy of actually holding one in your hand.
I wish I have enough words to describe how much happiness a book gives me. I wish I can describe the excitement I get when I have a new one and I couldn’t wait to get home so I can curl in my special corner and jump into this new world I have in my hands.
I dread a future where everything is digital but more than that, I dread a world where no one reads. I am not against technology, in fact I am thankful that with this technology we now have the capacity to access data almost anywhere, anytime. But when I see little kids spending more time playing with their gadgets instead of interacting with other kids or picking up a book to read, I feel sad.
Playmates and books teaches us a lot of things. Our childhood games may seem absurd but they helped as become better individuals. Fairytales may be oldschool but they encouraged us to imagine. Books may seem boring and a hassle to carry but inside it is a world far bigger and brighter than anything you can ever imagine.
I grew up in a different world. A world where elves and dragons are real, where love is magic and where being different is normal. I grew up in a world where fairies are either good or bad, where things are not always what they seem.
It was a colorful world of talking animals and vengeful celestial beings. It was a world of mystery, adventure, love and friendship. It is a world that only a lover of books can enter. It is a world exclusive to those who are not afraid to use their imagination. It is for those who are willing to discover a world different from ours. It is for those who believe in the power of the written word. It is for everyone but only if you are willing.
I grew up in a different world. But I am not alone.
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*I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors. Proofreading via mobile is a challenge for me.*
That’s What I Thought! 