The Joy of Reading

As I sit outside in the warm sun with my mind and body totally relaxed, I pick up my book, start reading and immerse myself in a world unknown to mine. I experience what the characters in the book experience. I become a part of their world. This is what reading is all about; escaping from reality and letting the imagination take hold. Reading is about challenging the imagination to how far it will take you. Books surround us, so why not take a chance, pick one up and read it? The places your imagination will take you are endless.

When you start reading a book, it instantly transports you to an exciting, new world, unlike any other. The reader can encounter the thrills of a foreign country, go back in time to World War One or even help solve a mystery. It stretches your imagination in new directions and takes your mind on a breathtaking journey through others' lives. Reading allows for the mind to relax and for the imagination to take over. This provides the perfect way to take a break from the hassles of city life. Also reading can be stress-relieving. Taking your mind off your problems, even for a few minutes, has a therapeutic effect. I know that when I am stressing over school, I always take the time to read a couple chapters of the magical world of Harry Potter. This helps me to recharge and to think about something else besides school. I feel better and ready to face whatever comes my way. Reading is a great way to unwind. The rhythm of the words has an amazing ability to calm and relax us.

Our knowledge of life, culture, worldwide issues such as poverty, politics and history can all be enhanced by reading. Literature is a sure way to enrich our souls with information about the world around us. There is never a limit to how much one can learn. Reading is also the perfect way to improve a person's vocabulary and writing approach. From personal experience, when writing essays or stories, I go back and look at the types of books I've read. I look at how the words were written and at the structure of the sentences. I take that knowledge with me when I begin to write literature on my own. Also reading can cause a person to have greater fluency in communication. Books are a great conversation starter because talking about a book, for example The DaVinci Code, can lead to a breadth of new and stimulating discussions such as religion.

Reading allows me to take on a new persona. In my imagination, I can become a heroine, a detective or a political activist. While reading, I find new ways to express my ideas and enrich myself