Book Lover’s Day

Today is National Book Lover’s Day. I personally love to read. Reading has been a passion of mine since I was a child.

I had trouble learning to read as a young child. It was pretty frustrating. Thank goodness I was blessed with a wonderful neighbor who was also a great teacher. So was her husband who looked like Abraham Lincoln. Mrs. Speirs took it upon herself one summer to help me improve my reading. How fun I thought. What 7 year old active boy wants to spend his summer reading? But Mrs. Speirs had a secret weapon. Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas. Oh, I still remember those wonderful treats. Mrs. Speirs also knew I loved sports. So, as she was getting her daughters ready for summer camp, she would have me read the sports page. Chocolate Covered Bananas and sports. Maybe this daily class wasn’t going to be so bad after all. After Mrs. Speirs would finish her morning routine, we would discuss what I had been reading. We did this Monday through Thursday during that summer. I am forever grateful to Mrs. Speirs for taking time to help me. My life was forever changed.

After that summer, reading became a passion for me. I wanted to read everything I could get my hands on. I still have that same passion today. Reading has become a little more difficult with having Parkinson’s, but I still make it a priority to read as often as I can. Keeping my brain active is important with having several neurological issues. Reading has so many positive benefits. Here are just a few:

Mental Stimulation

Stress Reduction

Memory Improvement

Better Writing Skills

Vocabulary Expansion

Improved Focus and Concentration

Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills

So do yourself a favor and start reading a book today. It will be one of the best decisions you will ever make. Happy Book Lover’s Day! ~OC