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Read any good books lately?

 

I read (keyword there) some very depressing facts recently.  Did you know that 80% of US families did not buy nor read a book in the year 2018?  That 40% of Americans haven’t read a book in the last year? 33% percent of the population will never read another book after high school?  That as of JANUARY 2021, 50 PERCENT OF US ADULTS CANNOT READ A BOOK ON AN 8^TH GRADE LEVEL? Why have we declined so much from something that is not only a lovely hobby, but a very beneficial one as well?  That I cannot answer, however I can hope to inspire a few people to read.  And before I begin, let me be clear I understand a bit of irony in writing a blog to people who don’t read…

 

The largest benefit of reading, I feel, other than the knowledge gained is empathy.  Reading has been shown to be able to increase empathy in adults and I think that’s something we all could use a little bit more of, especially these days. Empathy is the ability to understand and share feelings.  This allows a connection to each other as human beings in the human experience and allows us to relate to a situation without having necessarily been in it ourself. Often when reading we feel in the place of the characters- we are creating a world in our mind as we are finding out more and more on each page.  We are often able to put ourselves in the shoes of those we read about, and this helps to increase our emotional awareness and specifically the development of empathy. 

 

An obvious benefit of reading is increased vocabulary.  Now one might argue these days that an augmented lexicon is archaic as it seems we are slowly shortening everything to is most primitive form.  I’ve even been told from younger generations that you don’t need to know how to speak anymore or spell because as long as you get your point across that’s all that matters.  Maybe language is an obliterated relic, forgotten in the age of computers, text messages, and emojis.  However, I feel it is as relevant as ever, and possibly even more so!  When I was a teacher I told my students “if you cannot effectively communicate you will not succeed in many ways.” Also, in a world where we are now connected to more people than ever what might set you apart is your vocabulary and command of language.  I love words, and I love learning new words.  In fact, I have friends that whenever we learn new words we message them to one another!  My mother had a beautiful concept growing up- she made SURE that we spoke properly and had a wide vocabulary.  She always said “It is ok to sound southern, it is not ok to sound stupid.”  And this was and still is an inspiration.

 

Another benefit (if you haven’t been convinced yet) is reading helps to stave off cognitive decline.  It helps to form new connections in the brain and learning new things as we age has been proven to slow the effects of aging in the brain.  It has also been shown to decrease symptoms of depression, lowers blood pressure, and decreases stress levels.  Reading before bed even helps us to be ready for sleep. I mean, what’s not to love about reading?  It was shown in one study to prolong life on average about two years!

 

We know of the other ways reading affects us- knowledge, imagination, creativity… it allows us to discover our world in ways we might not be physically able to.  We can learn from the past, gain clarity on ourself and our future, be transported to different cultures, or just take in a silly stress free moment.  It is a way to bond with our children, or with other adults through book clubs, sharing, and even being able to relate stories empathetically to one another.  The benefits of reading are myriad.  It is important for us to exercise our mind as well as our body, and to take time for yourself.  Reading is a great way to do all of the above, and so much more.  If you have a learning or processing disorder maybe try a book on tape? So, what’s next on your reading list? 

 

Currently I’m reading Grimms Fairy Tales, next up is another collection of short stories for Halloween, and then I have a recommendation of a Vonnegut novel from a good friend, or maybe something good and nerdy.  Be well.