The Power of Reading

The day I found the wonders of a good story was the day I left reality. There was just something about being transported into a world so different from my own. I’d become invested in the lives of the characters, following their journeys and experiencing their trials and tribulations. Books were the perfect escape from my reality. 

I started reading by myself when my family moved to the small town of Walkersville, Maryland when I was 6-years-old. There was a public library about two miles away from my new home. As it was summertime, the first thing my parents did was take my brothers and I there so we’d have something “educational” to do during the break. I can’t thank them enough for that trip. 

It was like entering a new world. So many books, so many genres. Fiction was a new concept to me. I come from a very religious family, so any stories that had to do with fantasy, science fiction, horror or the paranormal and supernatural had never even been on my radar. However, my first and, to-this-day, favorite genre of fiction is fantasy. Although, I will read just about any genre of fiction if I find the story interesting. 

As I grew older, the benefits of reading became apparent to my peers and myself through my behavior and interactions. I became increasingly sensitive to certain topics, and often found myself in almost physical pain when I heard of the suffering of others. I’d feel what they feel. I later found out in research conducted that this was due to all the books I’d read. For years, I have closely followed all the lives of the characters I’d read about and had and been strongly invested in their stories. I’d read about, imagined and connected with their pain, their happiness, failures and successes. That engagement allowed me to be able to connect more easily and openly with others in the real world. It allowed me to have empathy.

In addition, my aptitude for communicating with others and ability to manage stress increased. According to doctors from the Cleveland Clinic, reading improves self-esteem and communication skills. Students who read regularly from a young age also gradually develop extensive vocabularies, as found in a study done by professors of psychology from Lancaster University and the University of Sussex. Another study conducted by health science and physical therapy professors found that just 30 minutes of reading could lower blood pressure, heart rate and feelings of psychological distress. 

Reading allowed me to escape reality and the result of finding the wonders of a good story is where I am today: a successful, Communications major who cannot stand a person without compassion for another human being.