Reading: The Beginning of a New Hobby

Starting a new hobby and finding something you are really passionate about is very tricky. Trying new things means veering off from the usual routines you have always been comfortable with. For some, setting forth a new journey and finding yourself in the unchartered territory may feel overwhelming and uncomfortable. But, in my case, kick-starting a new reading hobby went on smoothly. For my then seven-year-old self, basking in the world of fictional books was a form of amusement and diversion. It was somewhat a form of an escape – a distraction to forget I was lonely.

Reading: The Beginning of a New Hobby

I can remember vividly the first time I officially started my reading journey. It was at a time of immense loneliness and solitude when I finally sparked that flame I think I always had in me.

And, so my reading journey begins…

I was a few months shy of turning seven and I was – and still am – an only child. Our family had just moved into Bulacan, and the place we moved into was desolate. It was fairly new and only a few people have settled into the area. Finding a friend means skipping several houses or even a block just to find company. So, I had to be my own company.

TV reception was poor and we had no internet connection. I grew tired of playing with my imaginary friends. So, I searched for other things to do. In my search, I found, sitting on the dusty shelves of our home, books neatly placed beside each other. Books my father collected before I was even born for me to read when I grew older.

Then, it happened!

The first thing I grabbed was a level 1 Oxford Progressive Sherlock Holmes Book that had this beautifully hand-painted cover. I brushed through the pages and read a few words and then, that magical moment happened. The moment I touched it, I knew I found a new hobby. It was euphoric and it felt like a light-bulb moment for me.

I read page after page, as I find the story enticing. The mystery and thrill – the adrenaline and sudden rush – there was this addicting feeling with the whole experience. The story was gripping, and Sherlock’s deductive reasoning never fails to amaze me. It also used simple language and was made easier for me to understand as the level of writing was for kids. From then on, I saw myself reading one story after the other.

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I started craving more books

Then, one thing led to another, and I started searching for more. I have jumped from Roman mythologies to Greek mythologies, then searched for more mystery stories and kept on going. It was late into my junior high school and early into my senior high school life when I started trying more romance novels. And I liked it! Especially those from John Green and Becky Albertalli.

After Junior Highschool, when I got an allowance raise, my hobby that turned into my passion became something else. Reading suddenly turned out to be an investment – a collection. I began collecting my own sets of books and learned when and where to get the best deals when buying. However, as I got to collect more books out of my own savings, my passion for reading started to waver. But that’s for another time to tell.

From my experience with books, I have come to the realization that passion comes from unexpected circumstances. Some people unwittingly bump into what would become their life-long passion. While some discover their passion with the thrust of fate. Regardless of how you discovered your passion, one thing still holds true. Finding something you could pour your heart out of is one of the most satisfying and elating feelings in the world.