WHEN THE READING LIGHT WENT ON

I don’t ever remember not being able to read. I remember by grade two that I loved Enid Blyton books, the “Famous Five” and all those kinds of books. They were mystery books for children. We were so excited when a new one came out, we would all rush and get it, and read it. She was really the first author that I was attracted to. Her books were adventurous, and I think they pictured children as being very responsible and very enterprising and accomplishing things--which when you’re little, that becomes kind of a model for you.

When I started to become interested in religion, which was about 10 or 11, I started reading about non-Christian religions. I was in the Christian faith at that time, the Anglican Church.

During my teens, I conducted my personal religious search through books and I read the Bhagavad-Gita. I felt then that I’d come home. It answered all my personal questions. And in the front of the book, it had this little thing saying if you are interested in these teachings, to write to the Vedanta Society. I did, and started corresponding and got more literature through the Vedanta Society. When I finished my university course I came out and joined the convent.

When I joined the convent, I was immediately put in the book and publication department. And so reading has been a major aspect of my life, certainly my working life, as well as my own personal religious life. Obviously, as the book buyer, part of my job is to read catalogs avidly.

It’s one of those things when your passion and profession are one.