When I Was Told Audiobooks Were for 'People Too Lazy to Read'

I love reading. Books are a huge part of my life. I always have at least one book going, if not many. I’m sure my followers and fellow bloggers are the same way. If I was told that I couldn’t read again, it would crush me. Losing the ability to read would take a huge chunk of my life away.

Lupus has also caused many health issues in my life. These issues have taken away my ability to walk some days, I’m sick often, and now I have problems reading. First, it was hard to read ebooks, and now I have to break up my paper book reading. I recently made the switch to listening to most of my books. While my health isn’t always the best, I’m not going to allow that to take away one of the biggest parts of my life.

Now, imagine my surprise when I was told that audiobooks aren’t reading and they exist for people too lazy to read an actual book. I would like to note that this person wasn’t aware of my struggles. That being said, it hit me hard. How many people believed this? Was it so difficult to see why they may be needed? I still have OK vision, but at this rate, I would maybe finish a book a month. That’s a huge drop from eight to 12. Audiobooks have not only allowed me to continue to enjoy fantastic stories by my favorite authors, they enabled me to keep a form of normal, even with lupus.

I’m still able to do a lot of things that I love, but even this small form of ableism is upsetting. If you’re a person that might not consider audiobooks “reading,” I hope you also think about my post. It’s a privilege to not need them to enjoy your favorite books. A privilege that is very easy to overlook.

Follow this journey on The Bohemian Housewife.

We want to hear your story. Become a Mighty contributor here.

Gettyimage by: petrunjela