Myself as a Reader and Writer

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Myself as a Reader and as a Writer Would I consider myself as a reader and as a writer? Not really. To the average person I would be considered a passive reader, reading only books that interest me. I do not have a favorite author, book or genre. I read both fiction and nonfiction books, preferring nonfiction books of facts and learning. Rarely do I go to the library. It’s not that I dislike reading; however, I tend to become easily distracted and/or restless. Through the ages of 8-15 I remember reading the Boxcar Children, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. As I matured I became an avid reader of Harlequin Romance Novels. Forging ahead to wife and mother, reading became a thing of the past for there was no time for such a pleasure. Recently, I had the opportunity to read “Sights Unseen” by Kaye Gibbons. Gibbons portrayed the story through flashbacks of a daughter, Hattie, wishing for a normal family life despite the mental illness of her mother, Maggie. My mother-in-law was also manic depressive. Just as Maggie, my mother-in-law thought only of herself, becoming very self-centered. Maggie and my mother-in-law would stop taking their medication when they started feeling better, which often resulted in hospitalization. Neither of these women realized the burden that they placed upon their children. Both Hattie and my husband had feelings of despair, yet they both hoped and prayed that one day their mother would return to them as she once was. Living with a family member diagnosed with manic depression, I had a strong feeling of empathy toward Hattie. Reading affects our perspective, attitude, understanding and life. When Dane, my son, reads a story about a hero character, he will try to act like them. He wants others to see that he has great character and valor. Although he knows that hero characters are fictitious, they encourage concepts for good. Therefore
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