Read Books. Go Places.

Over the years, I have read a great many books.

Some were novels. Some story-books.

Some were read to me. Some I read myself.

Nevertheless, a book is a marvelous thing. Words strung together, sentences paired, conversations created to make something wondrous, sometimes even adventurous.

When I was younger, I loved to have stories read to me. Sometimes at night we would sit in the living room, gathered together, reading books together as a family. If dad didn't read, he without a doubt fell asleep. But when he did read, the stories seemed to come to life a little bit more.

Around age twelve or thirteen, my mom insisted I read a book entitled, Little Women. It seemed dull, boring and I didn't want to read it. When I became bored one day with nothing to do, I finally gave in and began devouring the pages. The characters were enchanting, the writing beautiful and the story captivating. I fell in love with the lives of Jo, Beth, Amy, Meg, and Laurie, too, of course. This story of four Little Women became my first favorite book.

My best friend began suggesting books, and to her, I wasn't really a reader. She, however, was a reader. Emily read books all the time, she always had a new story to share with me. One day she basically handed me a book and said, "Read this." I read it. And after reading Little Women and several others, I guess you could officially say I was a reader.

Because I am a reader, I am a writer. New books still captivate me with their stories and characters, if they are good books.

I learn to write by reading. I better my writing by reading things by better authors than me.

But in every book I read, I go somewhere new. I learn new things.

In each page turned, in each character I read about, my imagination grows.

In each scenario, each place I read about, I go somewhere new.

Some people say reading books is a boring thing to do.

When you read books, your imagination is given the chance to grow, to go places you would have never dreamed of going.

When a character dies, when you finish a fabulous book, your heart aches and it feels as if you are leaving a piece of you behind.

So I sit here writing, hoping you will read this, or at least read something.

Because I go places in my writing, in this gift He has given me.

God, for His glory, has given us the gift of imagination. Use it.

Read books. Go places.

~Bailey