For the past few weeks, I have rediscovered the art of reading a good book again. I have learned two new tricks to help me do that. You know, of course, that for the past 20 years or so I have struggled with my vision. The losses that I have endured have pretty much come to a halt, though and my vision is the best or the worst that it will ever be and I am adapting.
The first thing that I have discovered is that I can "listen" to a book being read with a program called Audible. It is a wonderful tool! I can either just listen to someone (or the author) read the book to me, or I can also follow along with the physical book. I like both. The other discovery I have made is that I CAN actually read a book. It is much slower, of course, because I have difficulty still connecting words when I can only see the end of it and have to move my eyes backwards to find the beginning of it.
I recently acquired a wonderful book, an autobiography of an old friend and mentor of mine named Don Bluth. Perhaps you have heard of him. He was an amazing animator who worked first for Disney, then branched off on his own, creating Don Bluth Inc. He and his fellow animators created such movies as "The Secret of NIMH," "An American Tail," "Land Before Time," "Rock-a-doodle," "All Dogs Go To Heaven," and "Anastasia." The book is Called, "Somewhere Out There."
I knew Don when he lived in Santa Monica and we attended the same Church. He was an amazing 18-19 year old who directed our youth in light operettas, such as "Rio Rico: The King of Cocos Isle," The Mikado," "H.M.S. Pinafore," great Roadshows and other productions. I was privileged to be in and/or play the lead in many of his productions. When he was 19 years old, he went on a Mission for our Church to Argentina. He served there for 2 1/2 years, creating many musical and dramatic productions for the Argentines!
After Don came home, he and his brother opened a playhouse in Santa Monica called, "Bluth Brothers Theater. He did that with the help of his brother, Fred. They were quite a duo. And then, at last, he got his dream job at Disney Studios as an Animator, and his career took off from there.
I haven't seen Don since my high school days, so it was a joy for me to hear him narrate his book while I follow along with the reading. " Good job, my friend! I am grateful for having had the opportunity to know you way back when." He now owns and operates a new theater in Scottsdale, AZ, called "The Front Row Theater." I hope to be able to attend one of his plays some day soon.
I am so grateful for modern day technology that has allowed me to both read and hear the many books that I love to read. God has surely blessed those who have created this for people like me who do not see like they used to.
