Five Reasons Why You Should Read
Dear Bookbugs,
On this World Book Day, I decided to take a look at the reasons why one should read. Of course, for any book lover, the number one reason would be, “because we love it!!”. But, I am talking about the ones who are on the fence about whether to take up reading as a hobby. The more readers there are, the happier we are. So, here are five reasons why you should read.
1)Reading sparks creativity and imagination
This is no big secret, but one of the cool things I like about reading is there are no restrictions while reading a book. The words, if woven right, can create a world that does not have budget constraints or clunky CGI. Because imagination is endless. You can travel the desert plains along with the protagonist and feel his hunger and thirst or you can spend your time in a cozy fishing town with a bunch of well meaning folk. Take your pick. Words are art. It can paint a beautiful picture depending on what book you choose.
2) Reading improves your vocabulary
Again, no big revelation here. It is known!! Reading can vastly improve your vocabulary. English is not my first or second language but I can converse fairly enough because I have developed a habit of reading since childhood. Even if I cannot explain the proper grammar, I usually tend to know how to string words together. Other than the pragmatic reason, certain languages, when read in fictional form, are pure poetry. I am not well versed in both languages, but Urdu and Tamil are beautiful languages enriched by their literature.
3) Reading enhances your empathy
Most non-readers who say that reading fiction is a waste of time do not understand that stories are a sea of human emotions. Those who read them effectively learn how to wade those emotions in their own way. Good stories usually dive into the how and why of each character and their actions. Why someone is the way they are? It teaches you there is always another side to the story. Or sometimes things are just the way they are and the lines of good and evil aren’t as black and white as you thought. When you take that kind of mindset to the real world, it might help you keep an open mind or break your prejudices. And as change happens from within, reading is almost as if you are part of a revolution that starts from within.
4) Reading gives you a new perspective
Good books make you feel. Great books make you think. Reading often gives you a new perspective about the world you live in. No matter the genre, the themes and subject matter of great books might be subtly pointing out the relevant instances of the real world. In the Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood had said that she had been mindful that all instances of injustice against women that happened at Gilead had actually happened in real life at some point in history. A Song of Ice and Fire won so many hearts because many of its characters are actually relatable in the real world despite the elaborate setting. The classics like 1984, Brave New World or Pride and Prejudice are still talked about because of the themes discussed in those books.
5) Reading is fun
And last but not the least, reading is fun. Whatever genre you are into, fiction or non-fiction, reading transports you into a different world. Perhaps one that you have never been to. You could wander through the busy streets of London without spending a single dime or get to know about the struggles of a revolutionary and what went through their mind during important moments of history. No matter what, once you finish a book, you are not the same person anymore. There is something to gain.
So, go out there and pick up a book that your heart really wishes to read without worrying about how it would look to other people. Experience the joy and adrenalin that courses through you while you find your comfortable genre and read.
Happy Reading Everyone!!
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