The ability to read is a wonderful gift. Sadly, for those of us who have had the benefit of an education and someone who spent the time and effort needed to teach us this skill, it’s very possible to take reading for granted.
A valuable gift
According to Unesco, 17% of the world’s adult population are still illiterate. In addition, approximately 122 million youths around the world are also unable to read. The majority of those who are lacking this skill globally tend to be women and the inability to read is one of the contributing factors in the inequality found between the sexes. Think for a moment what it would be like to not be able to read. Simple things like understanding food packaging, following direction signs or filling out forms become difficult, if not impossible. Being able to read is an integral part of being able to function in society and without it, basic activities become intensely frustrating.
Obviously the mere fact that you are reading this post indicates that you are numbered among the population who are able to read but in case you need some incentive to use this ability to the full, here are some benefits that reading adds to your life:
- It’s fun! Maybe this isn’t the biggest draw academically but reading is a great form of entertainment. You can take it with you wherever you’re going. You can lose yourself in different worlds, stories or adventures. The things you read can move you and make you laugh. It’s also an addictive form of escapism and a great form of stress relief.
- It engages your mind. Reading requires you to think. When you read, your mind needs to focus and you must concentrate in order to understand what you are reading. The more you read, the better you become at it, and the more exercise you are giving your mind.
- It exercises your imagination. Television and movies tell us stories through pictures, showing us places, people, and scenarios. Books, on the other hand, leave gaps for us to imagine the characters and locations and fill in the blanks with our imagination.
- It grows your language skills. Without reading your language and vocabulary is limited to the words you hear used around you. Through reading your language skills are broadened and developed and you can be exposed to a wider vocabulary than you would otherwise experience.
- It’s a way to learn. Through books, the internet, magazines and newspapers we are able collect information, learn skills, challenge ways of thinking and come up with new ways to approach problems. Reading also opens us to learning how other people view the world and exposes us to facts and experiences that we may not come into contact with unless we read about them. Reading makes you smarter, improves your memory, and also makes you a more interesting individual.