I love the a-ha moment while reading a book; that instance
when the writer reveals a key piece of the puzzle she was holding back which
beseeches me to backtrack through the previous pages searching for what I
missed the first time around while acknowledging the writer’s cleverness.
However, the more profound a-ha moments that keep me devouring books are when I
utter to myself, “Wow, I’m not the only one,” or “What a terrible hardship this
family went through,” or “I never knew this is what really happened during that
time.”
I know I sometimes have a short-term memory deficit, and my
long-term memory could not be depended on in a court of law, but I prefer to
call my disposition absent-minded. The story I'm sticking to is that it’s more important who I am,
as opposed to what I know (or at least remember), and this has been partly
shaped by what I’ve read. Knowing there is a potential learning opportunity waiting
to unfold within its pages is why I get so excited about books—what am I going
to find out about myself or others that will change the way I look at life—and
why I am enthusiastic to see other people reading.
In 1990, the group C&C Music Factory were speaking
directly to me when they sang, “Things That Make You Go Hmmmm…” because things
make me go hmmmm… all the time, and that same year, Deee-lite released
what could be my theme song: “Groove Is In The Heart”. It was the year I
graduated from highschool and what I know now about the world
around me has increased exponentially since then and I would bet there hasn’t been one
day that I don’t read something that makes me think. That a-ha moment is the
highlight of my reading experiences; but where that wisdom usually ends up
is in my heart.
I may not be able to recall every tidbit of information I’ve
learned but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to know more. I trust writers to be
my teachers and it must be a great privilege and an awesome feeling to be able
to give someone an a-ha moment.
…maybe that’s why I like to write? (Notice this a-ha moment
in the making!)
