Fever
[Short Short]
I was browsing the shelves of an old used bookstore tucked away in a small Midwestern town. I had stumbled upon it by chance while walking to my car after a stop at the post office. A hand-drawn chalkboard out front read, “Used books – $6 each.” Inside, the store was steeped in a distinctive scent—a whisper of mildew interlaced with the sweet, woody aroma of lignin breaking down in aging paper. Among the rows, I came across a copy of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. After a moment’s thought, I reached for it with a decisive grip, committing to the quiet joy of taking it home. For weeks, the book sat untouched on my desk. When I finally opened it, expecting a tale about slavery in the U.S., I was struck instead by the elegance of a Cinderella story I hadn’t anticipated.
You never really know what you're getting yourself into when you open a book. The cover may suggest one thing, but the story hidden inside often takes you somewhere entirely unexpected. That’s the magic of reading—of wandering blind into someone else’s world. Every page turned is a step into the unknown.
[Vibes]
For every NERD! in the wild who adores reading, discovering the perfect library—with warm ambience, cozy seating, and soft streams of natural light—is nothing short of euphoria. It’s a private sanctuary, a haven where the heart sighs in contentment. In the company of a truly excellent book, time doesn’t just slip away—it evaporates. In its place blooms a heady craving, a chemical hunger that only someone who’s known obsession—or addiction—might understand. Books don’t merely entertain us; they consume us, body and soul.
Reading empowers us by offering more than just stories—it delivers truth in quiet form. It provides insight, deep perspective, and a kind of personal connection that lingers long after the final page. A good book doesn’t just speak; it listens, and it understands in a way few people ever do.
“He gently trails his palm across my behind again before continuing my spanking. I surrender myself to the rhythm of blows, absorbing each one, savoring each one.”
— Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
I only skimmed the Fifty Shades series because of all the hype. But even then, I understood why people were drawn to it. In the hands of a curious reader, even the most controversial stories can stir something primal and reflective—a fascination with desire, vulnerability, and control.
As social beings, we talk endlessly. We fill our days with conversation, chatter, and noise. But how many of those words actually stay with us? How many of those moments ever reach as deeply as a single sentence from a powerful novel? People, like books, are full of layers—some inviting, some guarded. But unlike most people, a book patiently waits for us to explore every page, every secret.
The word passion comes from the Latin passio—to suffer, to endure. Its root, patior, carries the weight of love that aches, of devotion that demands something from us. Over time, the word grew to contain all intense emotion—not just suffering, but longing, anger, desire, and joy. At its root, true passion is something you suffer for. It’s not just a thrill--it’s something that moves you, burns you, even breaks you.
I was looking for work on Indeed and came across an application for AmeriCorps Reading Partners. In the application, it states:
Our mission here at Reading Partners is to help children become lifelong readers by empowering our communities to provide individualized instruction with measurable results.
During my undergraduate studies in Biology, I was introduced to the foundations of research and the scientific method. At its core, research begins with a hypothesis—an educated guess that can be tested through observation and experimentation. Every study involves controls and variables, carefully measured to evaluate outcomes and draw meaningful conclusions.
Similarly, my passion for reading has become a kind of experiment. As a proud NERD!, I've come to see passion and reading as two variables that not only coexist but actively intersect—fueling curiosity, shaping identity, and driving growth. Having an obsession, such as continuously turning the pages of an interesting book, is a different type of fever.
It’s a fever that doesn’t burn the body but ignites the mind. It pulls you in, word by word, until you lose your sense of time and place. The real world softens at the edges, and suddenly you’re living through someone else’s heartbreak, triumph, or transformation. That’s the kind of magic that books hold—unassuming on the surface but capable of reshaping the soul. It’s a quiet rebellion against apathy, a cry for meaning in a world that often rushes past the details.
Passion for reading has taught me discipline and empathy. It’s shown me that stories are not just entertainment—they’re education, healing, and connection. I’ve felt grief for fictional characters as deeply as I have for people I’ve known. And each book, in its own way, has become a stepping stone toward understanding myself and the world around me.
So yes, call it a fever. But it’s one I’ll never try to cure. Because in this lifelong experiment, I’ve found that the greatest variable—the one that matters most—is the passion to be curious, to dive deep, and to explore. I’ve learned that curiosity, passion, and a love for the written word are not just personal indulgences—they're gifts meant to be shared. This fever for reading is something I want to pass on. Not because I expect others to love the same stories I do, but because I want them to feel the same fire: the kind that illuminates, elevates, and never quite goes out. Passion, like a good book, is meant to be opened and lived through—again and again.
