Since my kindergarten years until now, reading occupies almost everything I do. And I do read a variety of genres from devotionals/spirituality, philosophy, classics, academic, business, wattpads, chick lit, romances, arts and crafts, history, biography and lifestyle. Moreover, during my college days, I had this sort of library ritual that I observed almost daily. First was to the circulation section to read my favorite newspapers and magazines. Next were the Filipiniana section and Internet library. But I would still return to the circulation section to read those journals and borrow books related to my courses/assignments and if it is a weekend, no week passed by wherein I did not borrow a fiction book for leisurely reading.
Now in the 13 years that I have been a working professional, reading is also primordial and cardinal to the performance of my various roles as teacher, instructional materials developer, researcher, writer and associate editor.
To non-bookworms, the question they may have in mind is: “do bookworms never get tired of reading all the time and shutting themselves in a secluded place?”
For me, there is only one outdoor activity that can rival my passion for reading — and that is swimming in the pool or beach. Thankfully, me and my siblings all have work now and thus we can spend weekend vacations in Boracay, Subic, Pagudpud and others.
I am no expert in swimming yet. In fact, since I got fat during my later 20s from a very slim almost anorexic teenager, I lost my ability to swim. For half a decade, this painful realization saddened me. Then in 2014, I bought myself a kickboard and practiced on swimming drills every chance I got whether during company outings or family vacations.
Three years after on August 26, 2017, in Roq’s Place Saud Beach, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, all my visualization and swimming drills finally bore fruit as indeed I can swim again without the help of my kickboard.
Still, I won’t discard my kickboard as there are more challenging kickboard drills that I can’t do such as alternate hand drills, sideways swimming and backstroke. Me and my kickboard still have many swimming strokes and styles to learn and work on.
Thank you swimming for providing a bookworm like me with an outdoor therapy that is both relaxing and calorie torching. As for books, what I intend to add to my collection next are books about swimming.
Simply Me!Lennie 