DAY 121 - THE MAGIC OF READING

DAY 121

I love going to the bookstore.  I could literally spend hours there, browsing, reading summaries and selecting the perfect book.  I love the smell of new books, a combination of glue, paper and fresh ink.  I am apparently not the only one who loves it.  Someone is selling fresh book scent in a bottle.  I really laughed when I saw the ad. (http://smellofbooks.com/aromas/new-book-smell/).

When I arrive home with my new purchase, I always have an overwhelming feeling of excitement.  Most of the times, I have to wait for my house to be asleep before I can begin.  At that point, I put on my pajamas, crawl into my comfortable bed, turn on my night table lamp, rest my head on my fluffy down-filled pillow and begin my journey.

Sometimes, it will take a couple of pages for it to happen, sometimes it won’t happen at all, but often, soon after starting, some kind of magic operates and I am transported into the world created by the author with the enthusiasm of a child upon receiving a long-awaited present.

Sometimes, the feeling of bewitchment is so strong that I cannot stop reading.  I peak at the time, calculating how many hours of sleep I have left and tell myself: “Only a few more pages and I’ll put it down”.  I often repeat that same sentence over and over again until I finally decide to put an end to my joyful voyage.  To alleviate the sadness created by the interruption of this strong happy moment, I tell myself that I only have a day to wait before I can relive the magic.

The real despair happens when I end the novel.  And, I know the stronger the enchantment was, the harder the fall will be.  I always feel a void when I finish a novel I loved.  I have learned, though, that the best way to lessen the post-novel pain is to have another good novel lined up for me to read.  And when I do, although it could take me a couple of pages, I eventually get enthusiastic once again about starting yet another journey.