“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only once.”
– George R.R.Martin
Reading, and more precisely the habit of reading, makes us learn a lot, not just in terms of factual knowledge but in implied understanding. It helps us make better sense of the world around us. We know more, we are more ready to forgive a classmate for the disaster they got us into, and we get better at understanding people. We read about many different issues of the world. It helps us break through from the safety of our cocoons and come to terms with the harsh realities of life.
There’s a saying that goes, “Everyone is a reader; some just haven’t found their favourite book yet.” I was a sporadic reader and always wanted begin reading seriously, because I knew I was something worthwhile. My first attempt at a book was a total disaster; I hated the idea, the characters - I hated the story altogether. After that I abandoned many attempts at reading, because of my fear of failure.
Then in 2015, I had to write a book review as a part of a competition – My fear got me on the hip. After consulting a lot of people and reading a lot of samples, I found a book that caught and sustained my interest. It was a book by the name, “I am Malala”, an autobiography written by a Pakistani girl who was shot at her left eye socket and a ball-socket joint by the Taliban, an Islamic extremist group. After being in the state of coma for more than six months, she now is a resident of London, in the United Kingdoms. She is a source of inspiration for girls of all ages, a beacon in the dark – The hope that hovers high over the darkness of despair.
Since then I have definitely improved in my skill of reading, my reading speed has improved up to 10x. Reading isn’t just about fiction or novels, it can be about anything; a biography, short stories, newspaper, or magazines.
If you ask me how exactly reading has changed in my life, my most obvious answer would be I’ve changed as a person. My outlook towards life has changed. It has taught me to relish and live every moment of the epic called life. It has taught me to create moments in seconds which last a lifetime. It has taught me to be more optimistic in all situations – good and bad or happy and sad.
If these reasons don’t compel or tempt you into the habit of reading, I don’t know what will.
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