For You Who Love Books
To you, the book lover. You who dive into the pages of books, as if it were the sea you dived into. Arriving at a place you know well gives you the feeling of familiarity. At the same time, there is also the feeling of adventure and mystery, and not knowing what will happen now.
For you who know the pleasure of seeking shelter in a good book on a rainy afternoon. You who find yourself at ease on the couch and let the hours fly by. Who does not understand how it can bore other people, with so many stories to discover. As many lives as you can dream of…
To you who have lived thousands of lives
You have known hundreds of worlds and have traveled through time. You who have felt, laughed and cried all because of the written word. You who know human nature because you have walked in the same shoe as infinitely many characters.
You probably remember books that have marked a before and an after in your life. The first stories that amazed you as a child. The stories from your youth that left a mark on your personality. The books that you have read now as an adult that have helped you to overcome difficult moments.
It is very possible that you prefer a certain time of day: perhaps in the evening, in bed, just before you fall asleep. Or maybe to make time to get on the bus or train. Maybe you read in the afternoon in a peaceful moment, stolen away from your duties. It may even be that you only get this time at the end of the week, as a kind of reward.
You know that reading can be a distraction. You forget your problems and the little everyday dramas of going into another world. It’s a magical moment when negative thoughts can not flood your head. A little while, which is free from stress and worries.
However, reading is more than a simple break. It can create space and allow you to distance yourself. That way, you can learn, think creatively and strengthen yourself emotionally. This is how reading can help us solve our problems. Or at least as something that can help us deal with them in a better way.
As readers, we have always known these benefits. But recently, science has given us a reason. Did you know that reading lowers the risk of dementia? It seems that reading, especially fiction, improves our cognitive reserves. It can lead us into old age in a healthier state.
Reading promotes emotional intelligence
In addition, various studies have confirmed that reading increases emotional intelligence and empathy. It is the incredible human ability to put oneself in someone else’s perspective and understand their point of view. This has already been thought of by the philosopher Schopenhauer. He declared that “reading is thinking with another’s brain, instead of doing it with one’s own brain”. Cognitive psychology and neuropsychology have confirmed his reflections.
These discoveries are important. If you dig deeper into the research, more and more studies are telling us this: reading improves concentration, memory, and the ability to connect concepts. Just to name a few of the benefits. This demonstrates that time spent reading is never a waste of time. You get more than you lose.
But we should not let ourselves be fooled. It is not necessary to know these benefits or list all the benefits to know what is best about reading. Reading is a unique experience, an amazing addiction with no side effects. An absolute pleasure for those who are addicted.
To you who recognize your addiction to reading. Who has read this article with a knowing smile because you understand what I am talking about. To you who, like Borges, could never imagine a world without books. This article is for you, the book lover.
