My Wonderful World of Books
By guest blogger - Anna Miller

It’s a world I’ve lived in all my life, ever since the time I was old enough to read. It’s a world I’m familiar with, one which comforts me when life hasn’t been too kind and which adds to my joys when I’m elated and content. And it’s a world that I know I cannot do without because books are my best friends and constant companions.
In fact, I vaguely recall getting my glasses when I was six years old because my eyes would start watering every time I read a book – that’s how far back I remember my voracious passion for books. My deepest desire back then was to have access to an unlimited collection of books and be able to spend all my time doing nothing else but reading. Today, while I do have access, time is still a limiting factor.

My relationship with books has progressed and changed in a number of ways and according to a variety of situations. From being interested in the stories to reading for personal enlightenment and advancement, my books and I have travelled a long way in this journey called life, with books being more than just sheets of papers with words on them. Rather, they’ve been my:

· Friend: I’m never lonely when I have a book to keep me company, and although I spend a fair amount of time on airplanes and waiting around at airports, I don’t ever feel bored or tired because I’m accompanied by my trust steed – my collection of books. They don’t demand anything in return, just that I treat them well and ensure that their pages are not torn or folded down. Who wouldn’t want such trusted and dependable friends?

· Teacher: They’ve taught me more than I’ve learnt at school or in college. They’ve broadened my horizons and allowed me to interact equally well with intellectuals and laymen even though I lived in a small town for most of my life. And they’ve allowed me to gain much more knowledge than I could have hoped to gain in my life because they cover a variety of topics and span a host of subjects.

· Counsellor: Most important of all, books help me deal with my innermost feelings and face any adverse situation without panicking or getting too depressed. They help me forget my pain and sorrow and enable me to move on even though my world seems to be coming to an end.
At the risk of sounding like a technophobe, I must add something here – although e-book readers like the Kindle allow you to read more easily and carry around a larger number of books, I still prefer what I call the flesh-and-blood version. There’s nothing like the smell of paper and ink, especially when it brightens a rainy afternoon on a porch swing or a snowy evening spent indoors on your couch. So if you’re a stranger to this world, it’s time you entered it to see what all the fuss is about.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes on the topic of degree online . She welcomes your e-mail comments at anna.miller009@gmail.com
Link to her website