With the predominance of digital audio and video in our day to day, we put reading to one side. However, these media present the facts without giving us a chance to reason. On the other hand, it is often said that reading is a passive activity. Could not be farther from the truth. Reading is a complex activity consisting of a large number of different acts.
We read to know who we are and to enrich our lives. Reading is an act of connection. We look from where we are to what surrounds us and to possible paths for the future. Reading greatly shapes our understanding of being part of an existential community where we can share thoughts and emotions. When we read, we may not be together in the same year, not even in the same room, but we are close. We are having “a meeting of the minds”.
The great books await us forever in the depths of our memory, ready to serve when needed. If another language is present, that means a further enrichment of the reading experience. Literature is a humanizing force that allows us to get in touch not only with our senses and feelings, but also to feel and recognize the thoughts and emotions of other people.
We read serious books for information, but we can also read just for fun. The latter is one of the most enjoyable means of escaping from our ordinary lives. I think teachers should put more emphasis on reading for pleasure instead of worksheets and homework. The school curriculum must not forget that flexibility also to vary the types of materials that students read.
There are many benefits of reading. Let’s take a look at what are the main benefits of why we should read books every day. READING enriches vocabulary, improves memory, facilitates the acquisition of experience, facilitates learning in general, expands knowledge of the language, improves our writing, awakens intelligence, improves focus and concentration, improves analytical thinking, activates the imagination clarifies ideas, reduces stress, improves culture, provides us with solutions to problems already solved by others, puts us in touch with the brightest minds of the present and past, broadens our perspective and provides more opportunities for success, helps us to understanding the heritage we have, and helps in the process of building a strong and generous personality.