In Rambling

What I Wish My Parents Had Told Me

There is something I wish my parents had told me growing up. Something about myself I wish I hadn't tried to hide, to squash. And it's one of those things which makes me...me.

So what do I wish my parents had told me? Well, the truth is, I wish they'd told me that being a bookworm is cool.

When I was little and learning to read, I had a lot of trouble. I just couldn't get the hang of it. I thought I was stupid and that I'd been doomed to be illiterate for ever.

But then something clicked and suddenly I was reading everything I could get my hands on. You couldn't get my head out of my books.

At first my parents were delighted. Their daughter wasn't so stupid after all. At first they encouraged me. Kept supplying me with more books.

But slowly comments started arriving, 'how many hours have you been reading for?'

'Surely you've read enough for today?'

'Why don't you put down the books and do something else?'

I know they were just trying to look out for me, but I felt that they had something against my books. It got to the point where I was afraid to be seen with a book. I tried to hide my reading. To do it in secret.

I was given the impression reading was a waste of time. That I should be out in the world doing things. That my parents didn't like my books.

This was how I grew up, thinking that being a bookworm was a bad thing. A disease. That only lazy people read as much as me.

I never told people about my love of books. I never admitted to hiding a book under my pillow so that I could read after lights out.

If only I knew what I knew now. If only my parents had told me being a bookworm was cool. If they'd encouraged me to read.

Instead they discouraged it. Forcing me to hide my true self. All their constant comments made me feel I wasn't enough. That I was failing. It ruined my self esteem.

So yes, that's what I wish my parents had told me. No I don't hate them for it. I know they wanted the best for me, but it turns out books was what I truly needed.

I don't know what the point of this post is. To tell you that being a bookworm is cool? That you should never let someone stop you from doing what you love? Or simply to rant about something that's on my mind.

Anyway, if you made it the whole way through this post, then points to you. You're the true friend. And I hope you got something about of this.

Now tell me, what is something you've always loved? And what is something you've always been afraid to tell people about?

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