The Joys of Reading

The evolution of written language throughout the centuries of Man's intellectual development can be deemed to be of tremendous importance to Man's continued advancement. It is a testimony to the higher intellectual plane human beings belong to and this form of communication sets us apart from the animals. Books, magazines, newspapers and all other written material act as a huge store of knowledge to make up for the deficiencies of Man's memory and mortality and they serve to pass acquired knowledge on to future generations. Such a form of communication is indestructible and thus also acts as a record of Man's history and leaves a legacy across time and space. I personally regard the reading of such material as highly enriching, thus I treasure this activity above all my other indulgences.

Being a rather sedate person not liking rough, ready sports, I find it a pleasure to turn to mental activity instead. In the mornings, I rush to secure the newspapers before other family members and happily indulge myself in the world's latest news while in the toilet or having breakfast, to the great irritation of my family. Getting acquainted with the latest 'hot' topics never fails to provide that edge of stimulation to conversations with friends. Moreover, it is the only way to keep in touch with what other fellow-humans are doing elsewhere on the globe, whether it be wars or celebration.

In my leisure time, my library of books never fails to give me delight. With a prick of conscience, I admit this to be a mild form of escapism, a chance to get away from the mundane, everyday world which I live in. It takes my mind off my worries and anxieties and allows my imagination to take me mentally through adventures, love affairs and fantastic journeys through other worlds. Into this category of 'stimulants' would come books of science-fiction, romance and action-adventure. One of my greatest grievances in life is the fact that we are all limited to one precious life and what we are is determined by the short period of a few decades. Reading books gives me a chance to live a different kind of life, if not in actual fact then at least in my imagination. In biographies and autobiographies, one traces the life of some glamourous, world-renowned personality and, for a moment, one can almost fee 1. oneself in that role. Arter all, how many of us eventually become Roosevelts, Marilyn Monroes and Elvis Presleys?

Being also something of an introvert, I do not profess to have a great number of friends. However, I do have a lot of other 'friends', not in the usual sense of the word. Reading provides me with an opportunity to be alone with myself in the midst of today's hustling and bustling world. When I read, I feel a certain kinship, a certain closeness with the author. Those other 'friends' I referred to are my favourite authors like Charles Dickens, Jean Ariel, Jane Austen and Agatha Christie. Reading their books is actually a way of gaining an insight into their minds and thoughts and thus communication transcends time and space. I identify with some of the emotions and feelings that these authors so skilfully translate into words, so perhaps from there stems this affinity between them and me.

Moreover, through reading, I have gained valuable insights into life, accumulated and recorded by other lives past. Thus, as I search for meaning and purpose in life, I can capitalise on all the experiences already gathered by previous generations. In particular, reading the Bible everyday gives me inner peace and joy, as well as provides me with principles on which to base my life.

In addition, I never fail to lose myself in the beauty of classical language, poetry and the like. When read aloud, these wonderful pieces of work take on a life of their own and come alive in the mind as images, metaphors and conjectures. I do believe language can be appreciated for its own sake and my many experiences with John Donne, T.S. Eliot and Robert Browning have proved me right.

Reading is so much a part of me that I could not give it up even if I tried. Books are a treasure-house of knowledge and insights and I, for one, intend to draw from this source all my life. With its many joys and benefits, the ill-read person has truly missed out on one of the finer things in life.