Growing Up with a Love of Books and Writing

As a child, my favorite Disney princess was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Yes, I know. It is far from the story of a healthy romantic relationship. However, my bond with Belle was deeper than that. It was her love of books, her yearning for adventure, and her feeling of otherness. She was not understood by those around her, but in books, she found the companionship she craved. As a child, I had no interest in playing tag or chase. I would find a perch in a tree that no one else could reach. It was there I would open my book and start my adventures.

My Love of Books and Writing

For me, learning to read was both boring and hard at the same time. I remember going over blends and being forced to read Jack and Jill books over and over. Reading did not come naturally to me. However, I found that changed when I was around nine. I found a few book series about girls. They were girls just existing in their everyday lives. It fascinated me to read about another girl's life. I wanted to know how she saw the world. These girls became my friends. Over the years, I devoured books from teen fiction to classics to fantasy to biographies. I was searching for the ever elusive answers to my questions. Why do people act the way they do? What is love? How can humans be so cruel to each other? While others spend their summers in the sun, I spent them with my noise in books.

These stories danced in my head. They challenged me to write my own stories. These stories and journals were where I expressed my deepest inner thoughts. In these stories, I put into words the feelings that I could not verbalize. For years, I hid my work, but I became determined that someday I would find a place to share my writing and my story.

The Call for Adventure

I would write about distant worlds and futuristic societies. While the locations were new, the problems were the same familiar ones. These stories helped me to work through my problems and deal with my fears. Reading books and writing my own stories saved me. It filled my life with the adventure that I was missing.

I grew up poor with unhappy parents. My writing and reading were an escape to a world where anything could happen. I would write about girls and women that struggled to find a place to belong. Some of the stories were retellings of my life. However, my stories took place in distant places and had happier endings. All of the stories gave me hope that one day I would set off on my own adventure.

My Feeling of Otherness

Since I was a small child, I knew I was different. I did not want to run and play with the other children. I wanted to think and dream. I was fascinated by science, history, fantasy, and human behavior. I was seen as the girl with her nose in a book. People made me feel weird, geeky, shy, or different. For years, I longed to be seen as normal. However, I found the strength to be me. Yes, some people may still label me, but I do not care. I have learned to find those that understand.

Final Thoughts

For those that have been there, you are not alone. You are braver than you know. Write your story. Let others see the richness of your inner thoughts. Because we can shape the world. I hope sharing this will encourage others.