It’s so important to be able to read. Traveling throughout the world — sans an airline ticket — and being able to see through the eyes of those who have experienced the good and the bad, is an inestimable advantage. To be uninformed is to remain ignorant to an endless array of possibilities, from new technology that is being produced, to advances in economics and science. Reading gives faith and credence to the actions that need to be taken, thereby creating additional opportunities for discovery and exploration.
Not only does reading eliminate ignorance, it ameliorates loneliness. Reading is fundamental because it affords a wider view of the world. When one is exposed to a broad spectrum of information, the knowledge that is acquired stimulates growth and stokes the embers of creativity.
Autobiographies record the history of the creative: titans of industry, songbirds and musicians, painters, poets. In reading their stories we learn about the creative process and what it takes to birth a wholly new entity that brings love, beauty and wonder into the world.
In reading the body, doctors are able to hear the sounds of new life, diagnose and stop disease from spreading, and evaluate the blood, the bone and the iris. Physicians read medical books extensively and the application of that knowledge, hopefully anyway, culminates in the preservation of life and limb.
The beauty of reading is that it greatly expands our world. Reading gives us a bird’s eye view of topics, people and civilizations that a lifetime of classroom instruction can’t provide. Reading allows us to roam interior and exterior realities that would otherwise go unseen, unknown or unnoticed. When we impart a love for reading to our children, we give them the most powerful tool they could ever possess. When we teach our children to read, we give them permission to be critical thinkers and train them to be citizens of the world.
Read, read, read. No other activity will make you stronger mentally and spiritually than reading. If you enjoy reading, share that joy with others and encourage them to become readers, too.
Peace.
