Importance of Reading

I think its fitting that my first official blog be about the importance of reading, and how we as a society need to encourage more people to read.

Getting me to read isn't a problem, in actuality getting me to stop reading and do things like eat is more likely to pose a problem, but for many people they just can't seem to get into the groove of it. In fact my husband is one of those people, he's not a huge reader – it doesn't make him any less intellectual than me, quite the opposite he's a damn smart guy, he just prefers to do other things with him time. Over the years this has caused me a bit of frustration. At times I have trouble understanding why people don't want to plonk down and get absorbed in a good book when they need to relax, or want something to do indoors when its wet out. Slowly I'm become more relaxed about it and not trying so hard to get him reading. He checks out books I have around the house (we have similar reading tastes) and the best thing is he's read more in the past year or so than he has done in the 8 years we've been together. The key? Finding something that amuses him, interests him and keeps him entertained – in book format!

I'm not guaranteeing that this will work for everyone, but if you have a loved one, whether they're 5, 25 or 50 they are bound to have a subject or two they're interested in – science fiction or gardening or dinosaurs for example. The next step is to discreetly look up authors in those topics and see if anything might suit the person. Above all else, remember not to push them – they'll be more likely to not want to read if you're forcing it on them. If you find something that might interest them, get it out from the library and just mention in passing something like “I saw this at the library and thought it might interest you”.

When I was in high school, a friend and I were asked to talk to children aged 5-8 about how important reading is. I'll admit it, it was a lot of fun. The kids were so interested, and to them we must have seemed like the “cool” older kids who got to do what we wanted when we wanted, and got time out of our classes to go to other schools. As I was up there talking to them I realised how passionate I am about the whole subject. I think that was the first day I realised that I had the power to help others find enjoyment in the world of books.

I really do believe reading is important to people of all ages because it engages the mind, helps us learn about different subjects and gives our imagination a great workout. Recreational reading can also help if you have trouble with words, the more you do it, the better you'll become. How do I know this? Part of the reason my husband wasn't a big reader growing up is he has dyslexia, in this day and age its a very common thing. But that shouldn't stop you! No matter how frustrating it might be, you can improve your skills if you just keep at it. Perseverance is the key. Do blind people refuse to read because they can't see? NO! They have braille books! Don't forget though, some people are more than happy to have a book read to them, as they are reading it themselves.

In our society little rituals like bedtime stories are becoming a rarity, no one is to blame but our next generation is going to be growing up with the internet in full swing, computer games and a growing pressure to be outside and keep active but it doesn't mean that something as basic as reading should be overlooked. Whether your a parent, an aunt/uncle, brother/sister or grandparent, you shouldn't be reluctant to get involved (however make sure the parents are okay with your book choice just in case). Things like library reading groups, taking a picnic to a park and sitting under a tree reading are just a couple of great ways to show kids how fun reading can be.

In the past I was a volunteer at a local library, and one of my favourite things to be involved in was the summer reading program. Where kids got rewards for reading that they could spend a game day later in the month. But in the meantime they had events like animal handler's coming in, or magicians to entertain them and give them ideas of new things to read about. It was amazing to see the kids after the event for that day, heading back to the library and looking for books on what they'd just seen. It gave me hope that children of tomorrow wont be lost in a computer/television dominant world.

So as you can tell, its something I'm an advocate about. Whether your reading a newspaper, magazine, chick-lit, thrillers or science fiction/fantasy it doesn't matter, what matters is you enjoy it and you're having fun. It doesn't matter if you can't afford to buy the newest best sellers, or if you aren't sure what to read next – the best place for you to go is the library. They'll have everything from book suggestions to best sellers, and even some books you read as a child and thought had disappeared from existence! There's no shame in reading books you read as a child 20 or 30 years later, you might fall back in love with the characters and places,or you might discover the book has a deeper meaning you didn't see first time around.

I hope this blog has you sitting there nodding your head as you're reading, I really do believe this is something that every should get involved in. Its something that you can do no matter what your age, race, creed or family history. Enjoy it! Love it! Live it!

“Medicine for the soul.”

~Inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes