Reading maketh a full man
As written by Rtr. Ishaaq Ahamed
“The man who never reads lives only once”
– George RR Martin
Somewhere in the State of Kentucky during the early 1800’s, Honest Abe was locally known to be a book fanatic. Being an avid reader, he read every book he could get his hands on. His interests covered a wide range of topics including Shakespeare, philosophy, religion, fiction, poetry, autobiographies and mathematics. He transcribed his favorite quotes and passages into another book and etched even more into his memory. Although being poor and having negligible formal education, his hobby provided him with a vast amount of knowledge and helped him climb up the ladder and become one of the most revered and beloved leaders of all time. He’s none other than the President Abraham Lincoln who is widely known for abolishing slavery and is considered a universal role model.
Reading daily is one of the best habits one can possess. It not only kills boredom but also indoctrinates in us the ability to recognize the subtle things in life. It also exposes us to diverse things happening in various parts of the world and adds to our pool of knowledge. Unlike movies, books can enhance our creativity by kindling the mind’s eye. In fact, given the proper resources, reading enables us to virtually traverse around and beyond the world, all by the comfort of our room.
It also helps us gain experiences and the wisdom of the great personalities of the past whilst learning from their mistakes. Of course, these are generalized reasons as to why one should inculcate reading as a habit. For a person in medical field, reading would generate different benefits compared to a person into entrepreneurship. But in a nutshell, reading is of prime importance regardless of which discipline you follow.
However, in a world of movies, videos and memes, reading is a fast dwindling hobby. The libraries are deserted, and the bookshelves remain dusty. Eventually with the National Reading Month – October – around the corner, its high time to reincarnate reading into our routine.
Choose for yourself a genre, get yourself a book, make yourself some coffee and lose yourself among the pages!
