A Short Memoir

She had been fond of books since the time was born. Her mom noticed her love for books when she started browsing some books at a very young age, whenever they would go to a library or a bookstore. She would require her mom and dad to read to her a book almost everyday in those days she had not learned to read yet. She was happy to be in school at the age of six. She knew it will be the start, learning to read the alphabet. She is a fast learner or maybe, due to her motivation to be able to read on her own. She learned to read faster than her classmates.

The book reader soon realized her dad had been busy in some ways when he was supposedly reading to her a book. She learned later some of those stories her dad were telling, were his own version of stories not the story on the book. The bookworm was gifted with speed reading. The prize is wide array of English vocabularies. She won several essay writing- contest in school. She presented her school during Science Fairs, taking precious medals home. I had read one of her winning essay. She wrote in school when she was eight years old. It was about an essay about her being happy with her family.

The bookworm never let up her quest for good books. Thanks goodness there is a bookstore in Manila that sells second hand books. The hobby is expensive. I recall chipping my fingernails countless times, rummaging for children’s novel pocket books at a popular second hand book store. I had to endure the long hours of standing with my back stooped. I had to read the prologues and epilogues of the pocket books to give me the idea, she would like the book. Stretching is the only thing I could do to avoid being a model of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

My prize is her liking the books I would buy for her. At least her mom would reimburse me for the cost of the books. Oh, no, not my fare going to the book store and the added cost for snacks at the food court. You name all the famous children and young adult books, she has them. As a young girl, she dreamed of having a library when she grows up. By the time she will be earning money. I guess she will invest in having her own book store. She is not selling her books as second hand. She treasured her collections. She has her own shelves in their house where she tucked her treasured books nicely, according to category, on how she liked them best.

I was thinking she would take Journalism when she goes to college but her creativity gave her the idea of taking up Digital Animation course. Like her young cousin, who dreams of being a Webmaster, she loves computer as much as she loves her books. Who knows the next flick for Finding Nemo or the Lion of Narnia will be designed by her. It does not cost anything to dream, right, bloggers? As she celebrates her birthday today, January 13th, I would like to dedicate this page to my reader niece and one of our family artists.

Happy Birthday Miss Ateneo! Let the Blue Eagle soar high!