My Reading Hobby

God knows how I've gotten into the hobby of reading - it just seems to be in my genes, probably inherited it from my dad. I started to love reading since I was 7 and I remember my father's friend who felt amazed by my hobby, gave me two books as a present. I was more than delighted to receive them. 

I became to like reading more as I grew up (that's how I spoiled my eyesight and I had to wear a spectacles when I was only 8). I used to read Malay books during my primary days as I was in a Malay school and English did not seem that appealing to me at that time. But when I adjourned to secondary school, I began to see the importance of English and I stopped reading Malay books. 

I loved reading to the extent that I saved up my school allowance given to me by my mom to buy books. I even requested that my parents give me books for my birthdays. I think I have a sense of possession towards books that I don't fancy borrowing books from the library or friends. I insist on having them by myself. 

I didn't really have any favourite authors until I stumbled upon Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult. However, during my university days, I saw that fiction books were merely man-made stories and I should learn to read TRUE stories that would elevate my wisdom and knowledge hence I turned to non-fictions. Surprisingly, I love non-fiction books more as they seem so surreal like I'm literally in their shoes, experiencing and feeling what they went through. 

Now, I read anything that captures my interest. I do not bound myself to anything and would love to cross the comfort zone boundary. If anyone would ask me what's so good about reading, I would say it's the solitude and imaginative world that keeps me going. Reading is the time when I'm truly alone - others will never know what's running through my head. 

Of course reading has many other benefits. Another major advantage I've acquired through reading is my English skills. I didn't have good English back then - I couldn't even write a grammatically correct sentence. Through years of reading and effort to improve my English (I had a self-written dictionary for every word I didn't know and when I read, I observe how people write), I managed to be who I am today. 

What I bought today - the one in the middle is a birthday gift for my student

Nevertheless, my mom donated ALL of my and my dad's books early this year with the excuse of taking up too much space in my house. It's not that my house is so occupied but she just has this habit of getting rid of old stuffs. I was really upset but after years of stopping her, I finally gave in. BUT I'm going to start buying again and this time I'd never allow her to donate/throw/give away any of my books. I'm going to bring them over to my own house when I get married in the future. HAHA!