Something from the Past – Sweet Valley High
I’ve almost forgotten about this series of books until I stumbled upon this article.
Memories of me borrowing these books from the small little 2nd hand book store, which has since closed down years ago, came back to me. I was reading as fast as I could. I was only reading the classical fairy tales, nancy drew, hardy boys etc before this.
Sweet Valley High was the first series of teenage romance that I came across. It was a whole new world out there. I was fascinated by the glitzy lives of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield.
However, I suspect that if I were to reread them now, I would probably find them frivolous and childish.
I loved the Narnia series by CS Lewis when I was a child. A few years ago, I decided to add them to my collection when some anniversary hard cover edition was released. I ordered them from Amazon and couldn’t wait to get my hands on them. I read them again.
I found that I didn’t enjoy them as much as I did. As a child they were magical, as an adult, they were too simplified. Maybe I’ve grown jaded through the years. Things are no longer black and white like a child’s book, but in shades of grey.
Memories are best left alone when they are beautiful and good. In a way, I’m glad that I read and enjoyed so many books when I was a little girl. My parents allowed me to do things that pleased me and brought me to wonderful new places.
As we grow up, we need to move on and create new memories for our future. Once in a while, it’s nice to remember that I’ve been there and done that. So if you want to do something, do it NOW. So that you wouldn’t have the chance to look back and wonder, “what if”….
The next time I read an Enid Blyton, is probably with my little girl. For her to create her own beautiful memories, whether they are of fairy tales or real life experiences.