The Joys of Reading Rediscovered

When asked to tell a story of my formative years, I recount this one story that I recently just realized to be weirdly--some may say "cutesy"--funny.

I have three siblings--an older sister and two younger brothers. But my youngest brother James was born much later (three or four years later than Jay) so he wasn't that much included in most of my adventures as a young girl.

With that said, let me go on. Our mom's sister, Auntie Marlyn, gave us presents--I cannot remember what for; I can't even remember who gave use the gifts but I was told later that the gifts were from her. These presents were a set books. Story books to be exact. These story books came in sets of threes so Ate Jing, Jay and I got one each. Each book I later believed to be a hint to our personalities. "Later" meaning college. Haha

Ate Jing being the demure, prim and proper little lady that she was got Little Red Riding Hood. Jay being the rowdy and michievous boy that he is got Puss in Boots. I, lo and behold, got Three Little Pigs. I wonder why. Really. Haha

Anyway, despite the "hidden meaning"--if there really was meaning--of the book, it didn't stop me from liking it. In fact, whenever a TV/cartoon adaptation of Three Little Pigs was shown on TV I would proudly turn to Jay--whose Puss in Boots rarely got adapted--and say, "Oy book ko 'yan." Thus started my (and Jay's) love-hate affair with books. Sometimes he does the loving and I do the hating. But most of the time it's the other way around.

One, if not the only, of the books that we both loved was The Science Library. It was some sort of illustrated encyclopaedia (six slim volumes) on science and experiments for kids. My mom said we used to read it all the time. Sometimes, while in the middle of playing with our other toys, Jay and I would remember The Science Library, and we'd "make halungkat" wherever it is Ate Nita stored it. Then, we'd lose interest and leave it lying around for her to store away again, and for us to remember again. Making her extremely irritated. This interest/disinterest cycle seemed to be window to the future for neither Jay nor I turned into science geeks. In fact, we turned out to be not-so-good with science--especially physics.

The Science Library was the only book (actually it was a set of books) we both loved. I was hooked into reading mostly "serious" stuff that involved story lines like The Fern Gully while he was hooked to informational fascinating stuff like The 1993 Guiness Book of World Records and some science picture books that were given to him as Christmas presents.  

We went on separate ways, so to speak. I read more and more novels. Each more serious (aka classic) than the first. He regarded books as sleep-inducers. He borrows one of mine just to put himself to sleep. And the only published things he laid eyes on, and that captured this attention for more than an hour was.. I hate to admit, porn magazines. Boys.

But like any other journey, recently, our paths crossed--reading-wise. He willingly read--out of boredom--My Imaginary Ex by Mina Esguerra (published by Summit Books), one of my chick lit books. Ha. I didn't expect that of all my books this is the one he would read. And guess what, he liked it too. I guess his secret longing for reading and his deep-down romantic nature drew him to read this slim volume lying on our unused TV set.

I didn't love or even liked this particular book, but hey, at least he read it. And liked it.

He may not like, or even try to read, the books, the novels and the stories I read and love now but it makes me smile to know that somehow he has not forgotten--or has found again--the joys of reading. One of the many things we shared in childhood, and I hope we'll continue to share to adulthood and beyond.