I came across this picture the other day and had to pause. I couldn't help but think about my grandparents, and my parents and their examples of reading.
I can never think of my Grandmother Ivie's house without thinking about the boxes and stacks of Reader's Digest magazines she had in her back entry hall. I know at one time one of my cousins and I discovered that she had copies of the magazine dating back more than twenty years. Of course, why wouldn't she? No matter what year or what month you opened there were articles and thoughts that were as timely in the present as they were when originally written. Humor never grows old, and there were always several pages of stories that would make you laugh. Need an interesting topic for a school essay? There was better place than the Reader's Digests in grandma's back room to find an interesting story or topic of discussion. I wouldn't be surprised if our first reading experiences began with reading to grandma. Even if the newest volume was on the kitchen table, that didn't mean the previous three or four months were stashed away. You could find a different month's worth of article in any room you wanted- the living room (you could read a joke during a commercial break), the bedroom (a nice story can give you pleasant dreams), and of course the bathroom (short or long reading material to help pass the time).
My Grandma and Grandpa Pugh were also avid readers of the magazine, although Grandma Pugh didn't keep as many back copies. However, as they came monthly in the mail, and the articles fore timeless, there were still multiple months of the magazine available to browse through. What Grandma Pugh did save were the Reader's Digest Condensed Books that came quarterly. With the average of 4 -5 current books (fiction and non-fiction) it didn't take long to gain a collection of good reading material. I fondly remember reading not only the current writers, but also many classic stories. I grew as a young lady to love these books and treasure them. I even borrowed many of these for use in English and Literature class discussions.
With both sets of grandparents sharing the importance of this magazine, it is no wonder that my parents followed. I would guess that mom and dad had a subscription to the Reader's Digest until the day dad died just short of turning 92. One of the most heartbreaking things for me in cleaning out the den, was admitting that I didn't have room in my home to keep mother's collection of Reader's Digest Condensed Books. I can't count, nor would I want to how many of those stories I read through the years, or how many mother used in some of her book club reading. It didn't matter which book you pulled from the shelf, there were always multiple stories you just couldn't put down.
It is my hope that someday my own children find themselves unsuccessful in cleaning out my attic or library. May the love of reading good books and stories be passed from generation to generation, not only in my family but in yours as well.
Have a wonderful day- Read a good story.
