Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Within the Pages

I never forgot the walk past the huge lampposts, up the stairs, and through the massive doors. I remember stepping into the foyer and feeling like I was floating across the oversized room, as if I was sitting on Aladdin's carpet. Walking further into an enormous area designated as the children's room, I was immediately mesmerized by long rows and shelves of endless books. I knew then there was something magical and sacred about the library. 

To this day, I never forgot the smell of the books and the feel of my fingers running across the covers. I was a young child with little background knowledge about places outside of my neighborhood and downtown Syracuse but in this haven of knowledge, I was whomever I wanted to be. Books carried me to places I never knew about and those I wanted to explore.

Postcard from the Onondaga Historical Society
Onondaga Public Library, Syracuse, NY

In my formative years, I understood  that reading could transport me. I became a voracious reader, encouraged by my teachers and my family. My love for reading grew with each classic novel and nonfiction book I read. I cherished reading about historical figures and fictionalized characters whom I wanted to emulate. Books became my friends over the years.

At the end of college, I took a circuitous route back to my roots and became a reading teacher to pass on my passion for reading to young minds. I hoped that I would impact students' lives to encourage them to become lifelong readers. To this day, I am book lover, spreading the message that Reading Matters.

Happy National Library Week 2017 
"Libraries Transform"


They transformed my life. How about yours?


It's Tuesday so the slicers are serving up their Slice of Life pieces at Two Writing Teachers. Join me as I travel there.


March Slice of Life Story Challenge

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