Read between the lines

It’s transcendence.

Opening a book and recreating the way you look at the world is more than just a change of perspective – it’s an actual out of body experience.

When I read a great book, I actually become the narrator.

Although the narrator’s rationale and decision making may be off the beaten path for most readers, people who allow themselves to be consumed by a story reach almost a spiritual level.

It’s similar to a dream, except the words don’t leave a person’s mind the moment their reading experience is done with.

The philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero explained it best.

“A room without books is like a body without a soul,” Cicero said.

Cicero was before the time of movies, video games, social media, texting and a number of other time consuming screen-based hobbies and activities.

But his point, however interpreted, is still strong.

Reading, writing and speech: language. It’s the one thing that separates us from from the rest of the animals that inhabit our world.

However, readers gain more from language than others.

People who read also have different perspectives they can look at a situation with.

This is because they have seen the same things happen through the eyes of different authors, often times described in very different ways.

Reading books allows people to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.

Readers have increased focus. Reading is not a quick process, and it’s often not done all at once. A successful reader can’t start a good book and simply put it down. They have to finish it, often putting in long hours to do so.

The same can be said about many successful people when they set about accomplishing a goal.

Tearing through books also keeps the mind sharp. Think of it like exercise: reading a page is like running down the block. This gives the mind a way of practicing memory retention.

Being an avid reader can bring information and education. Picking up a newspaper to find out what’s going on is a perfect example. Even for people who don’t trust the news, they gain some level of new information.

Finally, reading allows people to relax. Putting feet up on the desk and leaning back, or jumping in a hammock, there is a chance to let go of the issues in daily life and indulge in an activity that takes you away, but also helps your mind grow.