Some things are said much too often.
“Books aren’t what they used to be.” “Books are boring.” “I’d rather do any thing other than read.”
I’ll be the first to acknowledge that books and reading aren’t for everyone. Much the same as NOTHING is for everyone. But in recent years I feel like books have been given this odd labeling.
Cable TV. Smartphones. Blockbuster movies. Social media. All things vying for our attention right alongside books. But since when is variety and choice a bad thing?
The first thing I usually tell new acquaintances is that I’m a die hard Houston sports fan. I could move to Tokyo and that wouldn’t change. It’s simply a part of who I am. The second thing I mention is how much I love books. I’ve gotten a lot of “Really?” responses because I guess people don’t think those two can coexist within a single being.
Do you see my point here? People find it surprising that I can be obsessed with baseball and also with The Hunger Games. But so what? This is the same thought I have when I hear someone speak negatively about books. SO WHAT? I won’t suddenly hate books because someone else doesn’t find them important.
Libraries and bookstores are the printed versions of the internet. Knowledge and stories everywhere. Bound in BOOKS. Some may not believe in the importance of books, and that’s okay. But there’s nothing wrong with filling them in on how important they are to you.
So fill me in! What makes books so important to you?
Johnny Reads 
A good book is totally immersive, takes you away somewhere else, puts you in someone elses head, takes you to places you’ve never seen, that might not even exist. In a book you can be a wizard or a lion tamer or an explorer or a psychopath and come back to yourself afterwards. Books were the first virtual reality devices and they do it all through well crafted words.
And why shouldn’t you be a book fan and a sports fan? I find it odd other people find that odd!
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YES to everything! You’re right. Other people are odd. Not me. 😂
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Haha! Quite right 🙂
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Book allow me to immerse myself within other worlds and explore. They not only offer an escape, but a chance to learn of other cultures and experiences. They teach me how to cook, and provide me with a good laugh or cry when needed. I think you see where I am going with 😉
I have been fortunate enough to have experienced little to none of what you mention above. But there will always be someone who does not get it, I am sure.
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Yes. And I mean, who doesn’t want to become someone or SOMETHING else for a bit? And explore other world’s and lands. I thought everyone did.
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I couldn’t imagine my world without books. I first started using books as a tool to learn English as a kid. As a teenager I used it to escape boredom. As an adult I use it to expand my knowledge and empathy as reading different authors and perspectives opens your mind and heart.
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I like how at different points in your life you’ve turned to books for different reasons. That’s the beauty of books. There’s no single reason to enjoy them.
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