Are you addicted to books? I am proud to say I am. I can read everywhere and at anytime: in the train to work, in the park during my lunch break, walking home in the evening, in bed, in waiting rooms, when I should actually be asleep, when I’m already late and should be walking out the door… You name it! I am also fortunate that I don’t get sick easily and can do pretty much everything while reading.
According to Merriam-Webster, addiction can be defined as “an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something.” I think that applies to my love for books: once I start reading, I can’t put the book down and I am less aware of what’s happening around me. If you see my bookcases and take a look in my bag and discover the reading materials in there at any given time, you would probably describe it as “an unusually great interest.”
Addiction is also defined as “a strong and harmful need to regularly do something,” which can also be applied to me. The number of times I’ve missed my stop and ended up a station too far because I was engrossed in a book… Or the weekends where I had no social life because I was holed up in my room with a new book series… I am constantly ruining my eyes reading without enough light or staring at books for too long… And I won’t even mention the back and neck pains…
My name is Loes, and I’m an addict.
So let’s start a BA: Biblioholics Anonymous! Are you in as well?
Happy detoxing,
Loes M.
(Image: Tom Raabe)