Reading is a way of living and more than just skill; it’s the key to adventure. Enlightenment, if you will. We are launched on a journey, from the time we learn to read and interpret letters, words, and even books that can send us rocketing into space or back in time with ancient civilizations. Once we start to engage with the written word, reading expands our vision of reality and allows us to repeatedly take on other narratives that are far removed from where normal life stays. In a world spinning fast into the digital age, where screens are given precedence to grab attention, reading is one journey of magic that stands necessary for self-revelation and introspection.
A key benefit of reading is how it makes you more empathetic. This makes us relate more closely to a character’s internal life, as their struggles and motivations either become ours or open our minds to the logic behind their motives. This sense of connectivity leads to swifter compassion in our real lives and richer perspectives. Certain novels, such as To Kill a Mockingbird or The Kite Runner ask readers to think about big ideas related to societal problems in the context of fictional people with whom they can more easily identify. These experiences help us to care more and judge less.
Reading also opens our mind and awakens curiosity and imagination, as well as creativity. Every book is like a piece of paper which can be painted by the words with images and scenes about characters’ lives. By stoking the imagination, this thought exercise serves as not only an amusement but a driver of divergent thinking (a valuable tool in problem-solving and innovation). In giddy and fairytale-like fantasy worlds or more grounded mystery storylines, both types of stories compel us to imagine outside the constraints of what we deem possible reasons in our everyday lives.
Besides the development of empathy and creativity, one can point to the means of academic achievements – reading. This supports that regular reading improves students’ performance in different subjects. Although there is no conclusive evidence that reading increases students’ brains, reading helps in widening verbal knowledge, literary skills, and problem solving ability formulated in school and in the future. Students who read from an early age will be able to study throughout their lifetime, as it becomes part of their lives.
It is stressed that reading is one of the most important aspects of learning. There are so many ways that it makes a positive difference, from lifting our spirits to improving ourselves as individuals. In this growing global society, it is important for us to accept this magical practice as a way of transforming our citizens and ourselves. Therefore, no matter if you decide to read a great novel or just opened a new non-fiction hit, every single page turned means personal development and embracing the universe around.
