The Reading in Our Lives

When it comes to information about people, events, and even entertainment, reading materials are your best source. Why? Okay, here it is. It is a secret, keep it for yourself, and so do not tell anyone else but your children if you want them to benefit from this activity called reading.

Let us look at a very short story about a successful doctor.

At age 3, John was just an innocent child, filled with endless potentials. Lilia is John’s mother. She worked for a wealthy family as a housekeeper. She was a hard worker, charismatic, and an honest woman. One day, she noticed while cleaning in the living room that the children read books and rarely turned on the television.
That afternoon, she asked the parents of the children, the people whom she worked for, “It is fascinating to see those kids read books at such young ages. What drives them to read books rather than to watch TV?” Her boss replied, “Well, we read to them when they were kid, before they knew what TV is or what it does. They enjoyed hearing the excitement in adventures. They enjoyed it so much that they wanted more but we were not always available to read to them. As they learned to read, they could not resist the rich story of adventures. So, they read all the time.”

Lilia went back home and eventually made sure that John would read books and also write summaries of the books he read. She was persistent in making sure that John would read books and write summaries. John did not like it at all but eventually grew up to like it. He was learning and being entertained at the same time. John is now one of the world’s most respected doctors. And the catch is? His mother, Lilia, could not even read but made sure that John did. (The End).

Some of the things I enjoy in life are reading and writing. Reading is rather easier than writing and sometimes more convenient, educating, and entertaining. Writing requires you not only to think but to materialize your thinking to writing them down on paper. From thinking to doing! It applies to life. You can have great philosophies but if you do not act on it, well that is what they are, just a philosophies. It is the act of doing the great ideas that matters. Integrity is great but doing it is better. Honestly is great but doing it is better. Sincerity is great but doing it is better. Well, you get my point.

I truly believe that most of you agree in the infinite values of reading and writing. These are two verb (action) words. They are materialized when you act on them. Remember, one thing that other people cannot take away from you is knowledge. And if I cannot connect with you in a theoretical sense, then let me simply apply it to your work, whether you are working now or planning to in the near future. If you are being paid for what you do rather than what you know, you are in trouble. In today’s society, jobs are neither secure nor stable. Be ready for anything and everything. Prepare yourself to become not only to be a doer but a knower.

Just like John, you have the potential to become whoever you want to be. You do not have to be a CEO, a doctor, or a well-known person but you can start by reading. Seeking knowledge and understanding is something we all do. Have you ever heard of the cliché, “The more you know, the less you know”? Let me add to that, “The more you know, the less you know, which makes you want to know more and then you do so.”