George R.R. Martin, author of A Game of Thrones once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, but a man who never reads lives only one.” A reader does all of this and more. Unfortunately, some people neglect to read outside of school. Even though it may seem obsolete and time-consuming, reading can help the reader mature, become more patient, learn about the world, understand the English language, and improve their mental health.
Readers are infinitely more mature than non-readers. When one lives, one matures. Maturity is changing one’s perspectives and it is learning and growing. People are only given one lifetime to do this. A reader can live thousands of different lifetimes, wear the shoes of thousands of different people, and learn a thousand different life lessons. Avid readers, as a result, have higher-level morals.
Readers are patient people. Books are structured in a way that forces the reader to endure a large portion of dull background information before they can read the exciting part. This means that people who read all the time are not as inclined to seek instant gratification, making them less prone to impulsive decisions and procrastination.
Reading is an educational experience. When a person reads, they not only gain perspective but learn facts as well. Unfortunately, school-mandated books do not always get through as well as choice books. According to socio-economist Randall Bell, “Those who read seven or more books per year are more than 122 percent more likely to be millionaires as opposed to those who never read or only read one to three books.” People who read in their free time are better educated, therefore having a better chance at making it in life.
Reading is essential to acquiring a proficient understanding of the English language. It helps augment the reader’s vocabulary and teach them sentence structure, and the specific moods and connotations of certain words. People who read in abundance have a very proficient understanding of the English language.
The act of reading connects the reader to a whole host of other people, admitting them into a community of people who have read and enjoyed the same works. These communities are filled with people that think in similar ways. It makes the reader feel less alone. Reading is a therapeutic activity for many people, something that they turn to when they need a break from the world. This helps the reader control their emotions more effectively. Readers can have a clean headspace.
Overall, reading is an activity that should be done frequently due to its numerous benefits, such as increased maturity, improved patience, augmented knowledge, a higher level of understanding of the English language, and better mental health.
