Digressions: My Life in 500 Words or Less

It should be no surprise I have books I don’t remember; I have collected books all my life. The other day I remembered a book that fit into my reading routine.

My reading routine, which I might have mentioned in previous blog posts, consists of alternating recent best-selling books and classic literature. I read works in all genres and write brief analyses of them.

Recently, as I finished reading a recent bestseller, I considered my next book, which needed to be a classic. My previous classic had been science fiction, and before that, it had been a general adult novel. Earlier this year I read “Charlotte’s Web” for the first time. Another children’s classic would be fun to tackle.

I remembered having a paperback copy of “The Wizard of Oz” when I was a kid. I knew it was stored in a box in the attic somewhere. I decided if I could find it, it would be my next classic to read.

The more I thought about it, the more I looked forward to it.

You see, even though I remembered owning the book, I don’t remember much about the experience of reading “The Wizard of Oz.” I’m sure I did read it, as that was always a pre-requisite issued by my dad when it came to getting books paid for by either of my parents. This particular book was ordered from Scholastic Book Services when I was in elementary school.

When I looked in the attic, I somehow went right to the box in which it was stored. Looking at the book cover, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. Though I remembered only in the vaguest terms the experience of reading “The Wizard of Oz,” I recalled the time frame during which I first acquired the book. Looking at the book cover was like opening a time capsule.

This made me eager to read. And it made me appreciate the way the past and present can merge in meaningful ways.

It is not surprising I found a classic book among my possessions to include in my reading routine. In fact, I’ve done this before. The difference this time is the book is probably one I’ve had longer than any other I’ve included in my reading routine.

Reading “The Wizard of Oz” is not only an opportunity to enjoy a classic children’s book as part of my current work routine, it is a chance to revisit the foundation of wonder and imagination I discovered in reading.

And that makes the book magical in more ways than one.