“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors and the most patient of teachers.” – Charles W. Eliot, American academic and 21st president of Harvard University in his 1896 book, The Happy Life.
I came across this fabulous quote recently, Implicit in this rarified statement is its positivity, and you know how that suits me, Constant Reader. There’s no critique of the habit I prize.
The Lord bestowed a privilege by giving humans skills to read, write, listen, and talk. He wasn’t handing out Milky Way bars or Rieces Pieces (Halloween was recent…) when he invented our bodies with brains. Talking is nice and is how most humans control their lives. Listening is the better half of oral communication, though few of our friends, relatives, and acquaintances seem aware of this best practice. The caveat for each is that, except for learning environments, few communication partners take notes. Listening is fleeting, so every conversation is ripe for misinterpretation. That’s why gestures and tone of voice are needed.
This fact about our most used communication tools is why reading and writing, in which words are permanent on the page, can be better forms of communication.
Whaddayathink?
Reading makes us better thinkers by improving our critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as boosting our knowledge about people, places, and things near and far. Thus, it can boost one’s IQ.
Reading also boosts one’s EQ or emotional intelligence when we gain information and thus empathy for other human beings. Enhanced social skills form a benefit loop for all forms of human communication: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Well-rounded people, we become immersed in the reciprocal cycle of a loving life.
Reading has reduced stress during recent weeks as I’ve buried myself in books rather than wallowing in worry or self-pity. What a waste of time and disrespect for the Lord’s power. I read to relax at bedtime or to bridge the gap if I awaken needlessly. Reading separates me from this world and its worries and eases the path to peaceful sleep.
Because of its inevitable vocabulary boost, reading likely slows age-related cognitive decline. It’s a bold claim, tinged with truth, that reading is the key to living longer.
After a good read, I feel nourished, like a great Thanksgiving feast satiates physical hunger. My mind and soul feel resurrected.
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