Why I love reading?

Hi today I wanted to do a post on books but also adding in my disability. I write a lot about my general life on here and also about my love for books. So I thought why not merge the two. Because when I tell people I'm visually impaired and a massive reader people kind of balk at me. Its weird Its almost like life decided to play a cruel joke on me, to make my life even more ironic!

You may know about services to visually impaired people that offer enlarged books or audiobooks but I have never used them. Not to say they are not very useful services but just something I have never wanted to use. Which when I tell people that they don't particularly understand my decision. So I guess this post is also to help people understand that as well. My sight is a tricky thing, I have a CVI which is much more recognised in America than in England. For the sight I have, I see well. But lest forget that I have tunnel vision and can only see straight ahead. I also only see out of one eye at a time, and I have a squint in both eyes and I don't see 3D. I have only just started accepting help, in terms of blind children uk and using a long cane, which up until a few years ago I didn't want anyone to know I couldn't see.
I can read normal size books, its a lot more strain on my eyes and I have to hold it pretty near to my face, but I prefer to read straight from the bookshop even if it may take me longer to read the book. I feel that is part because I want to give off the appearance of being normal, even if I never read on places like the train or in the car because I need to be still and the page needs to be still. I also like having the actual cover because a lot of the time with bigger books the binding is quite boring I guess and it doesn't keep the book cover. Its also more expensive I believe, and as they have bigger writing, the book is obviously going to be bigger in size and one book would take a lot more space up on my bookshelf. I mean really they are my superficial reasons.
The reason I don't use audio books as much as I have tried with them quite a few times is because I like to imagine the characters voice in my head, how they sound and how I think they would look based on a voice and an image I get from reading off a page. But with an audiobook, it takes away that image as someone is putting there view onto you. If that makes sense.

I love reading, I have done since I was little. I am unable to do a lot of things, I can't go out on my own, I don't have many friends. I can't go for a bath on my own or wash my hair. Basic things I cannot do. So to read has always been my way of being able to do something. I don't need anybody or anything to help me read. It's something I guess you could say I am very good at. My first book obsessions were Cathy Cassidy's books. Dizzy, Sundae Girl, Ginger Snaps and Indigo Blue. I have shockingly never read the whole of the Harry Potter series, I did read the first one and never really felt blown away. One day I might pick it up again and read the whole series. I have a great love of literature. It gives me the ability to take on another person and live a different life. One day I could be a supernatural creature, the next I could be a normal teenage girl with a mafia family moving in. There is a quote that has always stuck by me 'Someone who doesn't read lives only 1 life, Someone who reads lives a thousand.' When I broke my elbow and my life went downhill, it was a comfort for me, it still is. It's an escape from the daily monotony that is my life. I can take on that characters life. I am no longer me. If only for a chapter a day.

I hope you enjoyed this little insight into why I love reading. I really wanted to do this to show you how much reading has helped me. Its one of the passions of my life.
I have a video going up at the same as this post,
Heres the link if you want to watch it -
Sneaky promo!
So thank you for reading,
until next time,
Sophie