One thing you can do to make your day a magical one (Blog marathon post 2)
When my children were little children I used to read to them every single day. It was a sacred ritual we followed every night before bed time. We have a large collection of books and every night, I would walk to the 'books cupboard' and choose a book to read. Now, when I say large I mean really large. We have over 3000 books. We have two antique book cases upstairs which are more than a 100 years old, and this is where half of our books are. The other half are in my home office---the room from where I write. I have three book cases in this room and I am surrounded by books, as I work. The world of books is truly a magical one.
I discovered the magic of books as a child. My father had a big collection of books, and he also had a transferable job. So each place we went to, the books travelled with us and were my constant companion. My dad also ensured that whichever place we moved to, we would be enrolled as a members in the local library. So I grew up with more books for company, than people. I wanted to instill the same love for books in my children, and hence began reading to them, right from the time they were 6 months old.
When they grew up a little bit, both my children would lie on either side of me, and I would read them a story. Then we would talk about it. Whether what the person in the story did was right or wrong, what could he have done differently, what are the circumstances that make us act the way we and things like that. My children and I both loved it.
Now my son is an adult (he turned 18 last month) and my daughter is a teen.And two days back, I asked them if they wanted me to read something to them, like I used to when they were kids. Both said they would love that. So I chose a wonderful book Light from many Lamps which contains not only the best of the world’s most inspiring thoughts and ideas, but the stories behind them and how they came to be written.There are thoughts and writings from great minds like John Burroughs, Alfred Tennyson, Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, William Cullen Bryant, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Shakespeare, Hippocrates, Confucius, and many others.
The very first section in the book talks about happiness. What does it take to be really happy? Is there something we can do? I read to them what John Burroughs said. Then we talked about it. They liked it so much that we decided that i would read to them every day. The second day we talked about Seneca's philosophy. Today, I can't wait to read the next chapter to them, and discuss about it.
It made me think about happiness. I decided to write on it--but that will be tomorrow's post! Come back tomorrow for a post on 5 myths about happiness.
If you have children, do make it a point to read to them, no matter what their age is. Choose something that involves everyone in a discussion.
And if you do not have children, go ahead and indulge the inner child in you.
Read, ponder and lose yourself in the magical world of books.
It is one thing you can do to make your day truly special.
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Buy my latest book Why We Love The Way We Do: Bit.Ly/WhyWeLoveTheWayWeDo
bit.ly/WhyWeLoveTheWayWeDo
Download the first few chapters free!: http://is.gd/WhyWeLoveTheWayWeDo
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I have a dream to be surrounded by books one day. Let's see which that lucky day of mine would be. Also will try reading to my kid and see his reaction. He can't sit for more than 5mins at a single place. :)
ReplyDelete#KeepGoing..!!!
Wow 3000 books is amazing.I read a lot too but so far it's been only fiction,slowly moving on to non fiction books
ReplyDeleteThis is what I love about preeti Shenoy like a mother she encourages us sitting somewhere else..iNSPIRED totally!!!.. I keep reading for my son every now and then..but now I am going to do this ritual daily..Thank you so much Ma'am:-)
ReplyDeleteYes, reading good books is therapeutic, I think it's like meditation. Looking forward to your next post. Who doesn't want something related to happiness? Finding happiness is tough yet easy (If you really want to be).
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't have kids... in fact I am not married yet :) But this post of yours has inspired me to make sure that I cultivate reading habit into my future kids :)
ReplyDeleteHow I wish I had also adapted reading that early in my life!
In your blog marathon, as a reader, I'd be interested in having one post on your journey as a writer. Was it your reading habit that implanted writing in you? Was it by chance? Was it your ambition?
ReplyDeleteintresting blog
ReplyDeleteReading books to kids is good!! My parents also used to do that which is one of the significant reasons that instilled in me the habit of reading the books with curiosity!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd we would like to read your future posts on the book that you are currently reading to your kids!!!
it's what i agree absolutely. reading yourself and also encouraging your kids in books,groom their thinking.nobody can deny,the wonders of it.
ReplyDeleteNice blog and this is really good habit of reading book with your kids. From the childhood I have no interest in reading book and there is no such trend in my family so that I could learn and carry the same. But from by 3rd year graduation I have started reading the book and I loved it. Now I an addicted to book reading. Hope the day I will take last breath I will be surrounded by books....
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post in motivating us whether we are in the dump or enjoying single moments of happiness. Books bring such joy in us to stay truly alive:)
ReplyDeleteIt is really wonderful to read about having 3,000 books at home. I am sure every bookworm dreams of having a number of books like that in their home. When I was a kid, my parents and I had enrolled in the local library and used to visit every week. It not only gave us a chance to learn English, since it is not our first language, but also gave us a chance to learn about US Culture. My parents would read to me when I was young and as I got older, I started to ready independently. Once I finished my homework, dinner, watching t.v., or practicing dance, I would curl up with a book and read for an hour or two until it was bed time. I loved reading books by authors such as Ann Martin, Francine Pascal and my all time favorite author when I was a kid, i.e., Judy Blume. Each of these authors had their own way of writing and I was able to relate just like I am able to relate to your works, Preeti! Thanks once again for reminding me about how important it is to read every day of our life!
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