I Read, Therefore I Am
I Read, Therefore I Am
Reading is the one habit that seems to define me and feed into the rest of my life. Reading has always helped me to learn new things and formulate fresh ideas. Reading led me to writing and to lifelong learning. Reading is everything.
When I tell people that I have been reading since before I could read, I usually get funny looks. One woman even wrote to point out the “mistake” on my website’s About Me page a few years ago. To me, the statement makes perfect sense.
I was raised in a bookish household. My parents were both avid readers, even though neither completed high school, and they passed that habit on to their six children. I grew up with bedtime stories, first read to me by my mother and later by my oldest sister. When I finally learned to read for myself, I became a bona fide book addict.
Visits by the travelling bookmobile were a highlight at my rural elementary school. All those rows and piles of colorful books, just waiting to come home with me, captured my imagination. I never knew what new world might be in store for me.
When my family moved to a small town, I became a regular fixture at the town library. This new environment introduced me to classical mythology. I developed a lifelong fascination with the Greco-Roman pantheon and had my heart broken over and over again by Norse mythology. No matter how many times I reread the story of Ragnarok, I would always cry.
I participated in Scholastic Book Clubs throughout my school years. The program encouraged reading by giving students an opportunity to choose the books they wanted to own.
As an adult, I became enamored of book stores. There were no quick or inexpensive visits. I could browse for an hour or more and never spend less than $50 (at a time when books were much cheaper than they are now).
I have been blessed with reading, and I know not everyone has been so fortunate. Some are unable to read. Others are unwilling. But reading can bring so many benefits to everyone’s life. As proclaimed on the website of Reading is Fundamental, “Reading is the fundamental building block to all life’s essential skills.”
Social Benefits of Reading
Early exposure to books can have a huge impact on children. A recent article in the New York Times refers to a new study that “provides evidence of just how sustained an impact reading and playing with young children can have, shaping their social and emotional development in ways that go far beyond helping them learn language and early literacy skills” (Klass).
For many children, and even for adults, reading is an escape from life’s problems. For a few minutes or a few hours, you can step outside your own world and live in the world of make believe.
As a shy, introverted child, I had a hard time socializing with others. I was also overly sensitive and prone to burst into tears over the smallest setback. Far easier, I thought, to lose myself in the fantasy world of books.
For Laurie E. Boris, reading was a vital part of dealing with a difficult childhood. “I was bullied as a child,” she writes. “Books were my friends, my refuge, my salvation, and they probably saved my life.”
Sue Soares also turned to reading to help her through her problems. “I grew up with a disability in the 80’s,” she writes. “It wasn’t as socially acceptable as it is now. I experienced life through books. Where I couldn’t go, or who I couldn’t meet, I found in my books. Judy Blume and Francine Pascal were my heroes. Now, I edit books for authors who are trying to make their dreams come true.”
The benefits of reading do not end with childhood but extend throughout our lives. Regular reading may “boost the amount of pleasure in your daily life, delay dementia, and even help you live longer” (Spektor).
Educational Benefits of Reading
Readers are learners, both passive and active. We passively expand our vocabulary with every reading experience, and we actively pursue knowledge through our reading choices.
An online Reader’s Digest article references “recent findings that suggest children as young as six months who read books with their parents several times a week show stronger literacy skills four years later, score higher on intelligence tests, and land better jobs than nonreaders” (Spektor).
In the words of marketing professional and instructor Bonnie O’Toole: “Once you learn to read, you can learn anything.”
While I generally read for pleasure, I also engage in educational and developmental reading whenever possible. This year, as a participant in the 50 Book Pledge, I have made a personal commitment to give equal reading time to non-fiction books. Because of this pledge, I have tapped into a wealth of knowledge on such topics as writing, communications, cryptocurrency, and genealogy.
Learning from reading can be hard work. Simply reading the words is often not enough. In an age when we are inundated with written messages across social media platforms, most of us have learned to skim rather than read. We pick out key words and choose to like, share, or respond, then promptly forget the message as we move on to the next one. Nothing is learned if nothing is remembered.
We must be thoughtful and critical readers to truly learn, which means we must take the time to let the words sink in. “Reading is like any skill. You have to practice it, regularly and constantly” (Beres).
Reading as a Way of Life
My parents believed that education was the most important thing they could give their children. When we stumbled, they pushed us to do better. When we succeeded, they celebrated but still encouraged us to go further. I credit them both with turning me into a lifelong learner.
In addition to formal post-secondary education at various institutions, I have continued to read across multiple genres. I am especially fond of mysteries, science fiction, and fantasy. They make for an enjoyable diversion from the heavier reading that my work and education require.
For much of the past 25 years, I have had to spend an hour or more on the bus to travel to and from the office. That time would usually be spent in reading, which used to mean carrying two books in case I finished the first one before I got home. Thanks to e-books, I now have a huge selection at my fingertips, making it easy to finish a mystery and start a communications manual en route.
As much as I appreciate the convenience of e-books, I will always be partial to printed books. I love the way a hard cover book feels in my hand. I love to feel and hear the pages turning. I love the smell of paper and ink, especially in a shop filled with older books. What some describe as a musty scent is more akin to perfume for me.
Becoming a writer seems like a natural extension of loving to read. Creating my own stories, poems, and books feels as natural as breathing. Because I am a lifelong reader, I see the world through a writer’s eye, drawing inspiration from people, places, and events. When snowflakes slowly melt away from the screen on my kitchen window or a misty rain brushes my face on the way to work, I write a poem. This is reading’s greatest gift to me.
Betty Dobson
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