Can you remember your first love? You know, the one that made a difference to the rest of your life? Also, the one that in hindsight, you are not regretting.
I fell in love for the first time at the public library.
Coming from a very strict Indian household, for instance I was only allowed to go to school or shopping with family, I was allowed to go to the library because it was educational. And that is where I learned about what I love to do now.
Similar to a lot of authors, I was encouraged by my English teacher to write stories. And it was probably her that told me to go join the library. My parents were exceptionally hard up and there was no money for anything other than essentials. It was an era of work, thrift, no heating and save a few pennies wherever possible. After school, I had to do chores. We didn't even have a television. About four times a year we went to the cinema to see the latest Indian blockbuster. I still love the songs from those films.
Okay, I'm nearly done. My first love was discovering the world of fiction and escapism. It represented...
Freedom.
The library cost nothing. Borrowing books cost nothing then. And they still don't charge.
Without the free lending library system that we have in the UK, my life would be restricted, and incredibly dull. I love being an author, a woman free to choose what I read, write, eat and what clothes I wear, the list is extraordinarily long.
Do you use your library? I heartily recommend it.
If you don't use it - you lose it.
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