March. The third month. The month named after Mars, the Roman god of war.  What does the month mean to you?

For some it is the beginning of spring.  For the Irish among us, it is the time of the St. Patrick’s Day celebration. For me, it is the March Hare.

The March Hare is the imaginary creature in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” who is the host of an outdoor tea party that Alice attends. I am sure that readers are familiar with this creature.

I was not a reader until I moved to Alaska at the age of 10 with my family. My fifth-grade teacher believed in reading. She read to the children and expected them to read on their own. I was seduced by the written word.

I discovered in reading a book that people would look just how I wished them to look. Their voices were the voices I wanted to hear. When a character succeeded, I felt his or her joy. When a character grieved, I felt the grief also. Rare is the book that did not change the way I thought about something.     

I traveled down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn and Jim. I sailed with Captain Ahab in search of the great whale, Moby Dick. Jim Hawkins and I sailed away on a great adventure to Treasure Island.

Books can captivate you. I am sure that my love of reading was extremely helpful as I went through college, law school and graduate school.    

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I used much of the time that I was housebound to read. I had time to re-read old favorites and catch up on current literature.

My wife and I have encouraged our children and grandchildren to read. A book is a wonderful gift to give someone. Many a great adventure can be found in a book. And rare is a classic that cannot be read over and over. With each reading, something new and exciting can be found.

One who reads can also be a writer. In many of my columns I have encouraged the reader to become a writer. We each have a story to tell.  Our life may be boring to us because we have lived each moment. But to another, it is fresh and can be a great adventure.

I know little of my deceased parents’ early lives. When they were alive, I did not think to inquire. Now that they are gone, I wish I had learned more about their early years. Where did they live? Who were their childhood friends? What did they do before marriage and children?

Reading is quite a joy, which I hope each of you discover. But do not forget to be a writer too.

Write your story for your children and grandchildren. You will find pleasure in putting your life to print. And your children and grandchildren will find joy in its reading.

Good luck in your reading and writing ventures.