Stories! And their Importance

 

I grew up on books. My mom, pictured above, taught me to read at the age of three, and once it clicked that reading meant I could read all the stories I wanted, I never looked back. I love reading! When I was a kid, my favorite birthday gift was books. I was teased by family for preferring a book over playing outside in the sunshine, but it never really bothered me. 

Stories, to me, are one of the most important things in this life. I mean, if you think about it, people are made of stories. We all have our own unique story, and what are memories if not that unique story? But they're not just records of the past. They can take us to places we've never been, take us on journeys where we meet interesting new people, teach us any number of things, and give us an escape from reality. 

I devoured book after book as a kid, up until recently. Over the last few years, I started switching my energy from reading everything I could get my hands on, to writing my own stories. Trust me, one's much easier than the other. Writing is Hard! It takes a lot of brainpower, time, revision, and editing. But it is so rewarding! When you find a way to connect to your characters the way you do with the characters you read about, it feels like a special insight only you have. It's not only helpful for writing, but it's so cool! I never want to lose my love for stories.