5 Reasons Why I Love Reading

​I have always loved to read. I remember sitting at home and reading alongside my mom, and just absolutely devouring the Nancy Drew books. I'm pretty sure I had the entire collection of hardcover books (which my parents still have saved!). As I got older, my love for reading only grew. We drove to Orlando a lot to visit my aunt, and I remember reading so much on those road trips.

I can actually recall one instance in maybe 3rd or 4th grade where I was made fun of for enjoying reading - I would take a book out to recess and sit in the shade reading - and a friend told me that I was going to let life pass me by while I was sitting there and reading. What she didn't know is that I was traveling to places I had only imagined in my mind. She also didn't know that her words didn't really bother me because I had read so many books with strong female characters who had also been made fun of or been through some kind of adversity. Reading had given me perspective and insight that I might not have otherwise learned, and I'm forever grateful for all the reading I did in those early years. There are a few reasons why I love reading. 

1. Worldview. Reading allows you to go places far beyond what your pocketbook might allow you to travel. In the last few months, I've been to Europe, Mexico, India, New York, Philadelphia, and the Dominican Republic, and I've never once boarded a plane. We can't physically travel right now, but that doesn't mean we can take a trip in our minds.
   
2. Perspective & Empathy. Reading allows you to see the world through the eyes of others. You can see the inner workings of others' minds, and why they make the decisions they make. This allows a worldview that you definitely won't get on social media these days! It's helpful for making you a less judgmental person and someone who puts themselves in others' shoes before jumping to conclusions. It also helps me to realize that MY experience in the world is totally different from someone else's, and that while I believe certain things, there are many reasons why others would believe something different.
3. Escape. For me, reading serves as an escape from reality. Sometimes I read deep, heavy books - but I love reading romance novels, too (Nora Roberts is my favorite). There's something about knowing that there will be a nice ending that soothes me and makes me forget some fo the things that are bothering me.
4. Knowledge. Because I really love reading historical fiction, I often learn new things. When I was reading Lilac Girls, for example, I learned about the Rabbits of Ravensbruck - a topic I had never heard of before. Reading about them in the book made me dive a little deeper in my research and learn more.
   
5. Connection. When I mention reading a book, someone always tells me whether they have read it or not, and oftentimes, it sparks up an interesting conversation. Having a connection with a book allows you to make a connection with other people, too. 

A love of reading is also something I hope to pass on to both of my children, and I hope that they will follow by my example. We read together as much as we can, and I always encourage them to pick up a book, but I know that they will always follow what I am doing more quickly than what I am saying. So tell me, why do you love reading?

​Now, go pick up a book! 

xoxo, 

Jenise