The power of the printed word

I still remember the distinct moment that the concept of reading clicked, with a meglomaniacal realization that, all I needed to do was learn the words and I could read anything in the whole world. (That’s my kind of world domination.) Do you remember learning to read? What’s your earliest reading memory?

I do not remember a time when I couldn't read. My earliest reading memories are the books I loved as a child - The Snowy Day, Little Blue and Little Yellow, I am a Bunny, The Little Bear. Even though in some of those memories I was read to and in some I held the book, they all seem to my current memory to be memories of reading the books myself. I do remember learning to write - practicing the letters of my name on the telephone message pad sitting by the phone on my mother's night table. This was prior to starting kindergarten, but it is a vivid memory. I also remember Suzanne in 2nd grade deciding that she would teach all of the eager learners in our class cursive writing, which seemed to me a bunch of undecodable scribbles. It was a heavily guarded secret code of adult society and therefore highly desirable. I was in. The remainder of the class, the hoi polloi, was going to have to wait until third grade. I dutifully practiced my squiggles, only to find in 3rd grade that Suzanne did not know script at all. She had made it up. I was pissed. I think my writing has suffered ever since. I have the worst penmanship on earth.