THE HIDDEN TREASURE: READING
The new millennium brought us a computerized world so-called modern taken over by high-speed internet which changed fundamentally the lives of humankind in many different ways. With the globalization of the market and the increasing of world’s population, the competition is growing wilder each day. In order to stand out from the crowd we should have the right knowledge, the creativity and last but not least the imagination. This starts at a young age by taking the proper education in school where we learn how to maximize our talents in order to use them as we grow for a promising job and better life. And living in this digital era with so much information to gain and so many things to learn, it is really important to understand how vital and necessary reading actually is.
Reading is an activity or even hobby for some people which constructs our ideas and forms our moral. Our mind is a “use it or lose it” kind of thing. We workout for physical health, but like other muscles in our body, the brain needs to be exercised continuously to give its best. Having many benefits, reading books would be like the best training that the brain could get. Books are the place where we meet new ideas, figure out the world, the others and ourselves. In this way we learn to understand and even consider new points of view on certain topics.
Reading can turn in entertainment and relax, but apart from that, it introduces us to new vocabulary, cultures and personalities which is very important especially for young people who get to extend their knowledge on the world that surrounds them. The newspaper, magazines, books give the information for everything such as wars, economy, politics etc. letting us know what happens in the world. Reading is important for researches as well, regardless if they contain scientific, historical or philosophic motifs. This helps us to create our critical thinking and have our own original ideas. Books can also help when dealing with social life. Having something interesting to say and knowing amazing stories can help everyone make friends and be very approachable. People will come to you when they have a problem or question because they know you can help them since you are well-informed in many topics. Good memory is another thing that will come to you if you read many books owing the fact that the process requires remembering dates, characters and details. It is this details and information that will create the whole scene in your mind. For example if you are reading a book about Albania, are the amazing historical facts and gorgeous geographic records that will amaze you. In fact the number of tourists that have visited our country in this way is really big.
The evolution of technology doesn’t have to be a problem. Actually it can be a perfect combination if it comes together with the essential stuff we don’t want to throw away from the past. One person that rarely reads will never become a good conversationalist. He won’t be able to communicate well with the others, get what he wants or have something done. It is important for people to read at an early age. If not, as kids they won’t be able to have success in school and make friends, later they won’t be able to write their own CV and in the end the will never become a boss or even have the power to talk back to one if they disagree with what is being told to them.
Reading requires you to use your brains unlike watching TV where little space is left to your imagination. Books will leave you thinking about the next chapter with many questions coming to your mind and at the same time memorizing what has happened till that moment. This action will increase your creativity. In movies all scenes are set and the whole story has already been pictured. M. Russell Ballard has once said “To innovate does not necessarily mean to expand; very often it means to simplify.” which stands in this case.
If reading has so many benefits all of us must be educated to have it as an inseparable part of our lives. Where have the times when a book was a great present gone? Where are the days when parents used to read to their children? They have to be returned. We can start from schools. If teachers see that one of his students has this special hobby he or she can give a book to that person. Another way is to publish books on vocabulary of different subjects. Most of the students neglect finding the new words as they have to search them online or in dictionaries. If they have the book in their hands it will be way easier and more practical for them.
To foster people with this habit full of profits can be really hard. Sometimes we will have to find a cause for the others to take reading seriously. When someone has interests or can get something valuable out of it he will definitively try it. If you see that your friend or relative wants to be a politician in the future give them a book about the laws of a country, if they like biology, a book about animals and plants would be perfect. There are books for every field like economy, politics, science, technology etc.
We should set an example for the others to understand how important reading is. Let them see how much pleasure you find in reading. It can be a form of entertainment that doesn’t cause much. If we start to discuss different articles that we read, the others will certainly get more interested in books.
Another way to incorporate reading in daily life is by activities. People can be organized into clubs according to their preferences. Schools, especially in Albania, should start to apply this method. In music clubs students will learn about singers or instruments, in drama clubs they will have to read the play and so on. Book clubs can also be an option.
And last but not from importance, is the role that government has to play in society. More libraries should be opened and more awareness campaigns should be held. Books should be part even in charity that organizations make because it is not that some don’t want to read them, but don’t have the chance to.
To sum up all that is left to say is that reading is a vital part of everyone’s life. To incorporate it daily habits won’t be easy. Actually it can be really hard, but it will be worth it. After all if we all try together the solution will be found in the twinkling of an eye.