How Reading Impacted My Life

I have always enjoyed books; however, I have not always enjoyed reading books. When I was young, my dad would read to my sister and me nearly every night. I used to love when he would change his voice for different characters and when he would raise the volume of his voice during a climatic event. Listening to my dad read was better than any show on television. However, as much as I loved it when he would read to us, I equally hated having to read a book myself.
This hatred for reading did not grow out of disinterest, but rather, fear. As a child, I was a very timid student. I did not like to participate in class or be asked to read something aloud. I vividly remember how nervous I would get when I had to read a passage aloud to the class. Although I knew what I was reading, I would stutter and mispronounce easy words. My face would get bright red due to my embarrassment and my body burned as if a giant magnifying glass was being held above me. My fear of reading eventually caused me to abandon all forms of literature. I no longer had any desire to read; or worse, listen to my father read to me.
This intense fear of reading eventually began to subside during my sophomore year of high school. I was taking an English class in which we had to read an array of novels, short stories, and poems. Among these novels were The Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I found all of these books extremely interesting. In fact, after reading The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, my friends and I were inspired to build a raft and travel down the Des Plaines River. I continued to read more frequently after my sophomore year. In my junior year I took a Philosophy class which really inspired me to learn. I wanted to obtain all the knowledge that I possibly could. I had made a 360 degree turn for the better.
After finally conquering my fear of reading, I began to excel in other areas of my life as well. I felt that if I could overcome this, I could overcome other things too. I began to do better in school and also enjoyed it more. Ironically, I scored better on the reading section of the ACT, in comparison to all other areas. Besides helping me academically, my new joy of reading also improved my family relationships. My mother, whom is an avid reader, is always recommending books for me to read and my father and I frequently converse about literary themes.
In retrospect, it would have been nice if I had never abandoned reading. When I think about the saying, “If I knew then, what I know now…” I understand its true meaning. However, it could be worse. I could not be reading at all. In fact, perhaps if it were not for reading, I may not be in college at all. Therefore, I thank my family, I thank my sophomore year, and I thank the experiences I had through reading- for they are what make me who I am today.