An age-old saying goes, “too much of anything is bad for you.” Perhaps if you think about coffee, sweets, work, and ambition, among other things, this would seem logical. However, when you talk about reading, too much of it would actually do you more good than harm.

Reading increases your knowledge and knowledge gives you power so in effect, reading is power. Joyce Carol Oates said, “Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.”

Reading gives you the ability to delve into the minds of brilliant authors and give you a glimpse of the world they have made up. It can make you into a hero or a villain, rich or poor, an animal or whatever race you can think of. The moment you flip through the pages, you become part of the adventure.

This rare opportunity gives us the ability to empathize with others. This perhaps is how reading can change the world. Remember the first book your mom or dad ever read to you? Remember how excited you were? That sense of wonder and anticipation will remain with you as you grow older. As Dr. Seuss said, “The more you read, the more you know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

So, go ahead, grab a book again today and start a new adventure.

This article appears in the September 2017 issue of TLA Blaze. Click here to view or download a copy of this newsletter.