One Reader: Madre

By: Meggie Vail

When I was younger, reading wasn't my thing; I was more interested in movies where things could be handed to me and I didn't have to think. I didn't think that reading could handle all of the ADHD pre-adolescent energy that I had bottled up inside of myself. I accepted it and so did everyone else. Becuse of my extrovert tendencies I started noticing that my mother was a very interesting specimen; an interesting balance of intro and extroversion.

As a teacher, she was expected to be outgoing, fun, and energized, but over long breaks from school she became the mother that I know now: the super reader. I realize now that my mother draws energy from within, only being able to recharge by being secluded and alone for a while. Her preferred method is reading. My mother is one of those all consumed readers, she doesn't just read for a little while, she reads for the whole day. She's also has this absolutely frightening, yet impressive, ability to completely shut out the world. I mean completely. She can't hear squat. I've had entire conversations with my mother without her actually hearing anything I've said. You have to physically touch to get her attention or she won't notice you're talking. It's amazing to see.

The other thing about my mother that I admire is her restraint. She never once pushed me to be a reader. My sister was a reader and I think that my mother sort of accepted that I was going to be a super extrovert like my father and she never pushed me to be anything different. You see some parents these days that make their kids have reading time each day, I just don't understand it. I'm glad that my parents (mother) never pushed me to do anything, if they would have I would've ended up detesting it (refer back to my piano vendetta.)  I was and still am a very free spirited person and when pushed too hard I recoil and refuse to participate. I like to do my own thing. Because I was never pushed to be a reader, or anything else for that matter, I was able to develop my own affinity naturally.

Now I can relate to my mother and I am still inspired by her. I'm inspired by her natural love for reading, her understanding, and her ability to feel for and identify with almost any character. That is a true talent.