The Joy Of Reading
Reading is so much fun! It all can depend on why you are reading. Some enjoy mysteries. Some enjoy romance. And there are the ones who even actually enjoy reading instruction manuals. I’m not kidding. My father-in-law was one of those. They do exist.
So why do people enjoy reading? There are tons of answers to that question. Many are obvious while others…not so obvious.
Learning
Many people read to learn. They pick up books on interesting topics. Watch a movie and wonder if it really happened that way? I know I’ve done that. Did that person really act that way in real life? I search for a book then on that topic and read up on it.
Curiosity is a powerful force. It is through curiosity that wonders are created and discovered. When one researches topics, they learn new things. They read other opinions and new insights.
Pleasure
Reading can be a very pleasurable experience. That pleasure can vary from reader to reader. Many like to learn. Others like to escape their world. A poll of those who had read a book in the past year had interesting results. It showed that “26% of those who had read a book in the past 12 months said that what they enjoyed most was learning, gaining knowledge, and discovering information” and “15% cited the pleasures of escaping reality, becoming immersed in another world, and the enjoyment they got from using their imaginations.” 12% just enjoyed the entertainment of reading and and 12% noted the relaxing nature of reading. (http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/04/04/part-2-the-general-reading-habits-of-americans/)
Yes, there are times we are forced to read things that we do not find pleasure in. That means pleasure is not always found in reading, but that doesn’t mean reading is not pleasurable.
Leave Reality
A great benefit to reading is to leave the world we live in. Most of us consider our lives boring. Books are not. Their is drama and excitement that we will never experience in our everyday life. Books transport us to a place we long to be even if it is just for an hour or two at a time.
Sometimes our reality is too sad or too boring. Books can make us laugh or give us a thrill. They can scare us or give us goosebumps of emotion. Harsh reality is left behind so we can become someone else.
Alone Time
Most of us can’t read with people interacting with us. We need to have the ability to focus on the words and the scenes laid out before us. We need to be able to process new things we are learning. While we don’t have to be alone to read, we need to be able to feel alone.
On a crowded bus, we can be alone in our book. No one talks to us. No one expects us to listen to them or talk to them. We are alone in a crowd. That can be depressing at time, but when you are reading a book, this can be a blessing.
Enjoy Your Reading
No matter why you read, do it with enjoyment in your heart. Learn new things. Find new loves. Explore new lands. Enjoy your reading with all your heart.
