The Importance Of Reading
When was the last time you read a book?
Honestly?
Whatever your answer is, there is nothing to be ashamed of. For many people, it’s been years since they picked one up. This has become the sad reality for our generation. We live in an age now where looking at pictures on Instagram and watching Vines qualifies as reading. We’ve lost all interest in exploring the world of words.
But it is not our fault — in order to appreciate literature, it has to be exposed to us at a young age and then nurtured over time.
As a third grade Language Arts teacher, my mom pushed me into reading very early. One of my favorite stories that she read to me, “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch, a tale about the growing relationship between a boy and his mom. Shortly thereafter, I grabbed the book and read the story to her.
From that point on, my love for reading grew. I read books like The Diary of Anne Frank, The Odyssey by Homer, This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. My imagination expanded, as did my curiosity of the world around me.
Much like getting an education, reading is important. Children aren’t attracted to picking up a book anymore — my little sister included. According to the Reading Is Fundamental site (RIF), 33 percent of fourth grade students are at or below the basic level on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading tests.
For many, reading a book is just what it is. However, many fail to realize that this is what cultivates the mind of brilliant thinkers and philosophers. Though people may claim that fictional stories do little but entertain the reader, they actually accomplish a lot more. They connect the reader to the story line, and the storyline to his or her reality. It moves him or her to question things like why people are the way they are and why the world functions the way it does; their mind becomes elastic and they have a better concept of their life.
Reading is a colossal part of education. It shapes the way we see the world and elongates our imagination so that we can provide a better future for generations to come. If we ignore reading, what do we have left to work for?
My suggestion. Put down your iPhone and pick up a copy of a book that tickles your fancy. You’ll thank me later.
