I've always loved to read. Ever since I can remember I've been reading. Being able to become part of another world that is so incredibly different, or startling similar to the one I live in is something that I, and I'm sure many others, find very appealing. Stories can pull from you every emotion you have. They make you feel happiness, amusement, frustration or whatever else and harness it and use it to immerse you further. When I read a book I can get lost in its pages for hours and hours and sometime get trapped for days, unable to put it down until I've finished.
Last year however I found myself reading far less than I used to. I was always on the internet reading webpages and not opening a book. So at the start of this year, as a sort of new years resolution, I made a point to read more books. As a result I'm now rarely without one, even at school I'd have one in my hands to read on the bus journey or between classes. As a result of this a girl in one of my classes, a girl that I know only from the occasional few word conversations, said to me; "Wow, you read a lot. I bet you're great at reading and understanding people...". This comment got me completely off guard. I am not know for being an overly social person, this girl barely knew me except for my name, but her comment was delivered with such conviction that I found myself nodding and agreeing with her.
As a result I have been pondering her statement for over a couple of months now. Does reading help you better understand others? Why? Could it be because through reading you become countless other individuals and have experienced many different points of view? I myself am not sure that reading has improved my skill at understanding people. Perhaps reading does help you understand others, help you empathize and discover their motives. I'm still thinking about this, and I've not yet reached an answer. What do you think?
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